Rescue operations at the site of the Urda train accident are entering their final stage, though regional authorities caution that the death toll of 69 people could still rise as teams navigate an enormous identification challenge involving dozens of partial body bags. The government of Castilla-La Mancha detailed that works are heavily advanced at ground zero, but admitted that uncertainty remains regarding the final number of victims.
Castilla-La Mancha Authorities Detail Advanced Operations and Ongoing Uncertainty
Rescue crews continue to inspect every corner of the disaster zone in Urda to ensure no victims or vital investigative evidence remain overlooked. Emiliano García-Page stated from Toledo that authorities cannot rule out additional fatalities as forensic work proceeds. Alongside the 69 confirmed dead, unresolved reports of missing persons stand at 67. The regional leader noted that recovery teams are handling roughly 30 bags containing partial remains, describing the identification of these fragments as an undertaking of enormous complexity.
According to the Integrated Data Centre (CID), autopsies have been completed on 65 of the 69 recovered bodies. However, official notifications to families are proceeding at a slower pace, with only 12 identifications—nine men and three women—formally registered and communicated so far.
Forensic Experts Rely on Fingerprints and DNA to Process Recovered Remains
Forensic experts explain that a standard autopsy requires approximately two hours, during which specialists simultaneously gather data needed for individual identification. Fingerprints remain the most direct and rapid method for establishing identity; all 12 individuals identified to date were confirmed through fingerprint analysis conducted by the Civil Guard’s Criminalistics Service. When fingerprints are unavailable due to the severity of the impact, forensic teams rely on personal effects, dental records, and DNA testing collected from family members at designated collection points.
Meanwhile, the search effort on the ground utilizes specialized resources. Teresa Albacete, spokesperson for the Civil Guard, confirmed that canine units deployed four handlers and four dogs to comb the terrain for biological remains or missing individuals. Heavy cranes have also been brought in to lift and shift damaged railway cars. García-Page reported that emergency services successfully overturned one of the wrecked carriages and fortunately found no additional fatalities trapped underneath.
Hospitalized Survivors Show Positive Recovery as Emergency Level Drops
While the search for the missing continues, conditions for those injured in the crash have shown marked improvement. Out of 110 patients initially admitted to hospitals across Castilla-La Mancha following the accident, 39 remain hospitalized, including 17 patients being treated in intensive care units. A total of 71 injured individuals have received hospital discharges, with regional officials describing the recovery trajectory of remaining patients as reasonably positive.
There has also been progress regarding the status of individuals initially reported missing. Authorities successfully located five people alive out of 72 initial disappearance complaints. This group includes two individuals receiving medical treatment in hospitals and a third person who ultimately never boarded the train on the day of the disaster.
Reflecting the advanced state of the rescue operations, authorities have downgraded the emergency response protocol to Level 1. This adjustment allows the regional government to demobilize a significant portion of emergency assets that have completed their deployment. Ground operations will now be streamlined to focus exclusively on judicial investigations and site security monitoring by designated law enforcement teams.
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