King Felipe and Queen Letizia were visibly emotional as they met survivors of the devastating train crash in Toledo, where at least 69 people have died this week.
The Spanish monarchs visited Toledo University Hospital on Thursday to see passengers injured in the disaster and speak with those receiving treatment.
Their hospital visit came as Spain and the Canary Islands began three days of official mourning for the victims of Wednesday’s high-speed rail collision near Urda, in Toledo.
In tribute to those who lost their lives, the Royal Household has cancelled its official engagements throughout the mourning period.
King Felipe arrived in a grey suit and was welcomed by Emiliano García-Page, president of Castilla-La Mancha. Queen Letizia followed in a black suit as the couple prepared for the solemn visit.
The King and Queen met survivors and their relatives, including 15 patients being treated in intensive care, before thanking hospital workers and emergency teams for their efforts.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia became emotional while meeting survivors of the devastating Toledo rail crash, which has claimed at least 69 lives
The Spanish King and Queen visited Toledo University Hospital, where passengers injured in the train disaster are being treated
The royal visit took place as Spain and the Canary Islands entered a three-day period of national mourning for those killed in Wednesday’s high-speed train collision near Urda, Toledo
After the meetings, both monarchs appeared overwhelmed with emotion. They seemed to wipe away tears as King Felipe read a statement from his phone.
Their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía, did not accompany them, as both are currently away at university.
The royal couple were joined at the hospital by Emiliano García-Page, Education Minister Milagros Tolón and regional Health Minister Jesús Fernández Sanz, according to HELLO!.
Speaking to local media on Wednesday, King Felipe offered his condolences to the victims and their families during what he called “such a difficult time” after the “terrible accident”. He also commended the emergency services involved in the response.
The crash happened shortly before 9am on Wednesday, when a train travelling from Madrid to Seville struck a stationary train on the same route. The impact sent carriages from both trains off the tracks.
At least 69 people were killed and more than 100 injured. Survivors described the wreckage as “apocalyptic”, with one saying the destruction looked “as if a bomb had been planted”.
Officials warned that the death toll could rise as investigators continue examining the technical-room “error” believed to have contributed to the collision.
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Transport Minister Oscar Puente said an “inexplicable” instruction from a central command unit may have played a role after a security system malfunctioned.
Investigators examine debris scattered around the damaged carriages following the collision between two high-speed trains
King Felipe, wearing a grey suit, was welcomed by Emiliano García-Page, president of Castilla-La Mancha, as he arrived at the hospital
The King and Queen maintained a sombre presence as they prepared to meet survivors, including 15 people in intensive care, their families and the medical staff treating them
Violent demonstrations erupted in Madrid on Wednesday evening amid growing public anger over the failures that led to the deadly train collision
All trains on a stretch of 63km had been drawn to a halt due to the computer malfunction, but central command told a Renfe train to restart its journey without any speed restrictions.
A little more than 20 minutes later at 8.53am, it smashed into the back of the stationary Iryo train 100 miles south of Madrid, leaving carriages totally destroyed and derailed. It was reported that the locomotive was capable of travelling at speeds of 185mph.
Mr Puente said the control centre ‘had more than enough time to verify the error, and they did not fix it.’
He added: ‘The decision to resume traffic, while that system had not been restored, belongs to the control centre.’
That smash raised widespread concern about the safety of the nation’s railways, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declaring the situation ‘not acceptable’ following Wednesday’s incident.
He said Spain would observe three days of mourning, while opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo suspended campaigning but said: ‘Spain has the right to know what is going on with its infrastructure.’
Violent demonstrations erupted in Madrid on Wednesday evening amid growing public anger over the failures that led to the deadly train collision.
It comes after an audio recording from the control centre, which was made minutes before the crash, revealed how operators failed to warn one of the train drivers of the impending collision.
Riots erupted outside the Ministry of Transport, with protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and transport minister Oscar Puente.
This is Spain’s third deadly railway disaster this year, following two crashes in January, one of which killed 47 people and the other of which claimed the life of the train driver, with dozens more injured.