Young athlete and former minister among victims of Spain train crash

Image source, RFEA

Julieta Gallego, a long-jump athlete, was a regular on Spain’s athletics circuit

A 24-year-old athlete and a former government minister are among the victims of a deadly train crash that killed 69 people near Urda in central Spain on Wednesday morning.

The crash, between a high-speed Renfe train and a stationary Iryo train on the same track, also injured more than 100 people injured, many seriously.

The impact caused carriages to derail, and there are fears the death toll could still rise, with reports of family members searching for missing relatives in hospitals across the region.

The bodies of those killed have been taken to the main forensics institute in Toledo, where families have been giving DNA samples to help identify them.

The crash is the second rail disaster in Spain this year, and the worst in the country’s history since 2013.

Who are the victims?

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, external, expressing its condolences to her family, friends and teammates.

Gallego regularly competed in Spanish club championships, local media outlet ABC reported, external, and had a best jump of 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”.

Image source, Getty Images

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.

Following 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.

Watch: What leaked audio reveals about Spain train crash

The Civil Guard confirmed the death, external 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 legal news website, El Derecho, external.

His death was confirmed by Spain’s tax authority, external, where he had been an inspector between 2012-2016.

Additional reporting by Sarah Rainsford, Madeleine Lake and Tom McArthur

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