Passengers aboard the two high-speed trains involved in Wednesday’s (October 28) disaster near Urda, in Toledo province, have described scenes of devastation, with some immediately turning to help the injured while others struggled to understand what had happened.

Harrowing accounts from survivors, relatives and local residents paint a picture of confusion and fear after the high-speed train collision near Urda, when a Renfe AVE train collided with a stationary Iryo service on the Madrid–Seville line.

Among the most harrowing testimonies is that of architect Joaquín Torres, who said he survived by a miracle after going to the toilet shortly before the impact. Others have spoken of being thrown against luggage and seats, while residents working nearby rushed towards the wreckage to help.

Architect describes woman dying in his arms

Joaquín Torres, who was travelling in carriage five of the AVE, said he had gone into an accessible toilet minutes before the collision. He managed to hold on to the grab rails as the impact threw the train into chaos.

Describing the experience to Spanish television, Torres recalled being plunged into darkness and losing his bearings. He initially feared for the life of his business partner, who had been travelling with him.

After getting out, he tried to help an injured woman who was cold and asking about a friend. Torres gave her his jacket, but she died in his arms. His account, broadcast on Spanish television, captured the shock experienced by passengers who found themselves confronted with devastating injuries and scenes of destruction.

Passengers thrown about by the impact

Ana María, 60, was travelling in carriage six with her husband. She said the train had stopped briefly because of problems on the line before moving again. Within minutes, the collision occurred. Ana María was thrown towards the luggage area, with belongings falling on top of her. Her husband suffered a serious blow to the head, and the couple were taken towards hospital in Toledo.

Another passenger, Jesús Jerónimo, was working on his laptop in carriage two when he felt a sudden acceleration followed by a violent impact. He said people were thrown from their seats and passengers initially thought the train had derailed.

Despite suffering a suspected broken nose and a cut to his hand, Jesús began helping other injured travellers. When he spoke to Cadena SER, he was still assisting medical teams by holding an intravenous drip for an injured person. “I felt helpless,” he explained, describing the difficulty of trying to help people amid the wreckage.

Local workers rush to help

David Gómez, a bricklayer working with colleagues on a nearby property, heard the collision and went towards the trains.

He found passengers attempting to escape through windows, with some injured and others sitting in the surrounding fields. David and his colleagues cut through fencing to reach the wreckage and used the first-aid kits they had with them to treat people. His account illustrates how local people became involved in the rescue effort before the full emergency response was in place.

Other passengers also helped one another leave the damaged trains, while emergency services worked to reach those trapped in the worst-affected carriages.

British mother leaves baby with local woman

One particularly moving account concerns a British woman who was trying to find her husband after the collision. According to Spanish newspaper elDiario.es, María José, a resident of Marjaliza village, took care of the woman’s baby while the mother went to search for him.

The story offers a glimpse of the fear and uncertainty experienced by families caught up in the disaster, as well as the kindness shown by people living near the crash site. The family’s eventual circumstances have not been established in the reporting available, and no conclusion should be drawn about the husband’s fate.

A mother desperate to reach her son

Marisol, whose son Adrián was travelling on the AVE with friends, spoke to Spanish television programme Espejo Público after managing to contact him. She said her son was deeply distressed by what he had witnessed and had told her that people were dying and passengers could do little to help them. One of his friends had suffered a serious leg injury. Marisol said she wanted to go and find her son, who was struggling to cope with the scenes around him.

Her account reflects the anguish felt by relatives waiting for news of loved ones, with many families facing hours of uncertainty after the collision.

Strangers helping strangers

Across the accounts, a common theme is the way passengers and local residents tried to help despite their own injuries and shock. Some survivors helped others out through windows, while people working nearby made their way to the wreckage with first-aid supplies. Passengers who were less seriously hurt also assisted emergency teams as they arrived.

The testimonies offer a deeply personal account of the disaster near Urda, with survivors describing not only the terrifying force of the collision but also the moments when strangers tried to comfort, protect and save one another.

As investigations continue, their accounts will form part of the wider picture of what happened on the Madrid–Seville high-speed line on Wednesday morning. The disaster also follows the January Adamuz train disaster, another fatal collision that had a profound effect on rail passengers in Spain.

For the practical impact on travellers, read our report on the suspension of Malaga to Madrid trains.

Last Thursday, my WhatsApp was compromised. My contacts started receiving messages in Spanish asking for between €500 and €900, apparently because I was desperate to make a payment.

I couldn’t see any of these messages so when someone asked me by WhatsApp if I had sent the last message I replied yes, not knowing what they were seeing. Then I got the first worried calls from family and colleagues and only after sharing screenshots, we realised what was happening.

My dear friend sent €500 without thinking twice.  Even though the message was in Spanish, and we never speak Spanish together,  as she pointed out afterwards, when I’m stressed or panicking, I do revert to Spanish!!

Something in the next message made her realise it wasn’t me. She went to the police and hopefully she will get her money back. (Looking for the positive in all this: how lovely to know someone cares enough to send me money, no questions asked).

This is how they trick us, by creating panic: the scammers’ plan is to catch us off guard.

I’ve been told I also need to report the incident to the National Police. I have copies of the bank account details supplied.

To resolve the issue, I had to delete WhatsApp, then immediately download and reactivate it so as not to lose my Whatsapp number to someone else.  I lost photos and information, but above all, someone else had lost money while trying to help me.

Years back, we created a family secret word so our children would know a message really came from us. Perhaps it’s time we all had one, particularly now that AI can clone our voices too.

How far would you go to protect a child from the cruel pain of bullying? One inspiring hero from our local Marbella community is taking his message of hope to the absolute top of the world.

Pancho Campo, a 65-year-old former professional tennis player and entrepreneur, is preparing for the ultimate leap of faith. Flying out to Nepal this November, he aims to skydive beside Mount Everest. Descending through freezing thin air at speeds over 250 km/h in temperatures plunging to minus 40 degrees Celsius, he wants every young person suffering in silence to know they are never alone.

Taking a stand for vulnerable school children

Bullying is a heartbreaking issue for many young people. Recent research from the ANAR Foundation (which supports children and teenagers at risk) reveals that more than 14 percent of students report experiencing or witnessing school bullying or online abuse.

Having seen the emotional pain caused by bullying among loved ones, Pancho decided to turn empathy into dramatic positive action. He launched the Zero Bullying campaign, uniting his US-based charity, The Planet Future Foundation, with The American College in Spain, a well-known higher education institution based right here in Marbella. Backed by the Spanish Association for the Prevention of School Bullying (AEPAE), who support the programme.

Jumping into the extreme HALO zone

Completing this extraordinary leap requires a military-style HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening) technique. Dropping from a helicopter high above 7,000 metres (around 23,000 feet), Pancho will plummet in prolonged freefall before deploying a specially enlarged parachute closer to the ground.

Braving these dizzying heights means using supplemental oxygen masks to guard against hypoxia (oxygen deprivation). If successfully completed between November 11 to 14, the brave effort will make Pancho the first Spaniard to execute an individual solo skydive in the Everest region, as well as the oldest person to accomplish the feat.

Building momentum from Herning to the Himalayas

Taking to the skies for social change is familiar territory for the determined 65-year-old. Back in August 2024, Pancho completed a successful HALO jump in Herning, Denmark, using the thrilling leap as a platform to shout “No to bullying!” and ignite global conversations around youth mental health.

“Nobody should have to face a mountain of fear on their own,” Pancho shared, who aims to draw a parallel between the fear of jumping into the void and the fear that many children experience when they are bullied.

Supporters can follow every stage of this momentous Everest expedition, watch live preparations, and join the movement by following Pancho Campo across his official social media channels, including Instagram and Facebook @pancho.campo and @panchocamposmile