Five of the 72 people reported missing after the train crash near Urda, in Spain's Toledo province, have been found alive. Another 67 are still missing, said Emiliano García-Page, head of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government. The confirmed death toll is 69 for now, but it may rise once DNA tests identify the human remains found at the site.
The crash happened on Wednesday. At 8.53am local time, trains run by Iryo and Renfe collided at kilometre 118 of the Madrid–Seville line. Early reports put the dead at at least 30, and the figure later rose to 68. The victims include Antonio Acedo, driver of the high-speed train.
How it all started: At least 69 dead in Spain train crash, including AVE driver
García-Page gave the new figures today at a press conference with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, after a meeting of the civil protection co-ordination centre. He said the toll stays at 69, based on checked data from the judicial authorities and the Civil Guard, but the final number could pass 70. A total of 70 missing-person reports have been filed.
Of the five found alive, three were found recently, two are in hospital and one never boarded the train. The missing include 14 foreigners from Argentina, Australia, Canada, the US, France, Japan, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Tunisia and Venezuela.
Rescuers have collected 31 bags of partial human remains. García-Page admitted that collecting and identifying them is "extremely complex".
The Toledo and Ciudad Real forensic medicine institute has carried out 65 autopsies. Families have been told of 12 identifications, nine men and three women. All so far were made from fingerprints by the Civil Guard's forensic service, according to the Integrated Data Centre.
Since yesterday, four handlers with four dogs have been searching the crash site again, even though the dog unit already went through the area on Thursday. The aim is "to make sure nobody is left in the crash area, in the train carriages", said Civil Guard spokeswoman Teresa Albacete.
The third day of the rescue operation ended last night, and rescuers are working at the site today too. Several dozen passengers were hurt, and about 50 of them are still in hospital.
At about 8.30am, the LZB train control and safety system failed at Urda station. According to current information, the cause was a communication error between computers on the rail network. The train that hit the Iryo train was travelling at between 160 and 200 km/h.
The Spanish government has declared three days of national mourning, from 29 to 31 October.