The wife of Real Madrid defender and Spanish international Marc Cucurella was traveling on a train behind the services involved in Spain’s deadly high-speed rail crash, leaving her shaken as the scale of the disaster became clear.
Claudia Rodríguez was heading from Madrid to Málaga on Wednesday morning when the collision occurred near Urda, in the province of Toledo. She later shared her experience on social media, sending support to the victims and their families as the tragedy sent shockwaves across Spain and the wider soccer world.
At least 68 people were reported dead and around 80 injured after a Renfe AVE high-speed train collided with a stationary Iryo service, according to the latest reporting from Reuters.
Rodríguez’s train was not involved in the collision, but its journey was interrupted and passengers had to return to Madrid. Her account offered a personal glimpse of a national tragedy while making clear that the experience of those who escaped harm was nothing compared with what passengers on the two affected trains endured.
What Happened on the Tracks Near Toledo
The crash occurred Wednesday morning near Urda, between Madrid and Andalucía, when a Renfe AVE train collided with an Iryo train that had stopped on the tracks. Several carriages derailed, with some falling down an embankment. Emergency crews worked through the wreckage as the number of confirmed fatalities rose, and authorities warned that the toll could change as rescue and recovery operations continued.
Spain’s government declared three days of official mourning, beginning Thursday, October 29.
The scale of the disaster has disrupted high-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalucía. Renfe activated its emergency response plan and opened assistance centers for victims’ families, while alternative transport arrangements were being prepared. The company published an official update outlining its response and providing a dedicated assistance number for affected passengers and relatives.
The official Renfe statement also confirmed that high-speed services on the affected corridor would remain interrupted.
Claudia Rodríguez’s First-Hand Account
Rodríguez, a content creator and Cucurella’s partner, was traveling to Málaga on a train following the services involved in the collision. After learning what had happened, she posted a message on Instagram expressing her shock and offering support to the victims’ loved ones.
“I was heading to Málaga on the train behind; I’m in shock. All my support to the families and friends of the victims,” she wrote, in a message reported by Spanish media. The Spanish outlet 20minutos reported her initial post and her subsequent update explaining that she was safe.
As followers asked about her condition, Rodríguez clarified that her train had not been affected because it was a considerable distance from the accident. Passengers were nevertheless forced to turn around and return to Madrid because their route was disrupted. She also reflected on how differently events might have unfolded had the collision happened later, while emphasizing that her own experience was not comparable to the suffering of those aboard the trains involved.
Cucurella and His Family Amid National Grief
The incident brought the tragedy into the orbit of a prominent soccer family, but Rodríguez’s message focused on the victims rather than her own brush with the disaster. Her decision to share information about assistance for affected passengers and relatives also helped direct attention toward those still seeking news about loved ones.
Spain has been left mourning the victims as investigators work to establish exactly how the collision occurred. The country’s royal household expressed condolences to the bereaved and support for the injured and emergency workers, while the government announced a period of official mourning. The Spanish government’s announcement formally declared three days of mourning for those killed in the crash.
All Copa del Rey matches scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday of this week have been postponed.
For Rodríguez, the immediate concern was that she and her fellow passengers were safe. For the families of those killed or injured, the consequences are immeasurably more devastating. Her account has resonated because it captures the shock of realizing how close an ordinary journey came to intersecting with an unfolding catastrophe, without losing sight of the people whose lives have been changed forever.
Cucurella’s Wife Shares Shocking Train Crash Ordeal in Spain