Four Americans, one Canadian among 69 dead in Spain train crash

MADRID — Four Americans and a Canadian were among 69 people killed last week in a high-speed train collision in Spain, authorities said.

So far, 66 of the dead have been identified, authorities said Sunday evening.

Most of those killed in last Wednesday’s accident, when a speeding train crashed into another train stopped on the tracks, were Spanish nationals.

Other foreigners among the identified victims include one from France, Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Portugal, Tunisia and the Czech Republic.

Authorities said three people were still missing: two Australians and a Japanese.

The accident in the province of Toledo came just nine months after another collision further south, on the same Madrid-Seville line, which claimed the lives of 46 people. The collisions have shaken confidence in Spain’s rail network, long praised for its speed and safety.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has promised an investigation and improvements to restore confidence in the system that carried some 45 million travelers last year, including millions of tourists.

The accident occurred a month before the November 29 general election in which Sánchez seeks to extend his mandate by eight years. He now faces questions about railway safety and investments made under his governments in Spain’s infrastructure.