Young athlete and former minister among victims of Spain train crash
As some of the victims' names are released publicly, an outpouring of grief and anger is sweeping across Spain.
Young athlete and former minister among victims of Spain train crash
Julieta Gallego, a long-jump athlete, was a familiar face on Spain's athletics circuit
A 24-year-old athlete and a former government minister are among the victims of a fatal train crash that killed 69 people near Urda in central Spain on Wednesday morning.
The collision, involving a high-speed Renfe train and a stationary Iryo train on the same track, also left more than 100 people injured, many of them seriously.
The impact derailed carriages, and there are fears the death toll may still increase, with reports of relatives searching for missing family members in hospitals across the region.
The bodies of those who died have been taken to the main forensics institute in Toledo, where families have been providing DNA samples to help with identification.
The crash is the second rail disaster in Spain this year, and the worst in the country's history since 2013.
Julieta Gallego, 24, was a Spanish long jumper who competed for Madrid athletics club AD Sprint.
"The entire club is heartbroken," it wrote on Instagram.
The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEF) announced her death, offering condolences to her family, friends and teammates.
Gallego regularly took part in Spanish club championships, local media outlet ABC reported, and her personal best was 5.9m (19ft 3in).
Raúl Chapado, president of RFEF, told the outlet that her death is a "blow that strikes at the very heart of the athletics family."
"Today, the sport mourns the passing of Julieta, a life ahead of her that has been unjustly extinguished".
The death of former employment minister Fátima Báñez, 59, was confirmed by the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), which she chaired.
"Her warmth, generosity, and commitment leave an indelible mark on businesses and the entire CEOE team," it said in a statement.
Báñez served in the government under former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy from 2011 until 2018, and was the first woman to hold the role. In 2012, she introduced controversial labour reforms that made it easier for companies to fire people, sparking mass protests across the country.
After news of her death, Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso paid tribute to her, saying she would be "deeply missed".
"Spain loses a great political figure," she said.
The Civil Guard confirmed the death of its officer José Manuel Chacón, 31, in a statement expressing its "deepest condolences" to his family, friends and colleagues.
Finance and tax lawyer Antonio Montero Domínguez was remembered as a "meticulous professional" and "tireless worker" by a legal news website.
His death was confirmed by, where he had been an inspector between 2012-2016.