‘HE WAS A HERO’: TRAIN DRIVER ANTONIO ACEDO DIES IN SPAIN DISASTER AS FAMILIES SEARCH FOR MISSING LOVED ONES

Antonio Acedo, 36, was driving the Renfe train involved in Wednesday’s devastating collision with a stationary Iryo service. His family say he activated the emergency brake in his final moments, while several passengers remain unaccounted for.

A train driver described by his family as a hero has been identified among the victims of Spain’s devastating high-speed rail disaster, as the search for missing passengers continues.

Antonio Acedo, 36, was at the controls of a Renfe train when it collided with an Iryo service that had stopped on the tracks on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

The crash caused several carriages to derail, leaving dozens of people dead and many others injured. Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that the death toll had reached 74 by Thursday, October 29, while authorities continued identifying victims and responding to reports of missing people.

HIS FAMILY SAY HE TRIED TO SAVE PASSENGERS

Acedo’s family have remembered him as a hero, saying he activated the emergency brake during the final moments before the collision.

His fellow trainee driver, Daniel Muñoz Cob, 31, was also killed.

According to recordings cited by The Irish Sun, communications between Acedo and the railway control centre included an instruction to resume travelling at normal speed.

Acedo reportedly asked, “At normal speed?” before receiving confirmation.

The report says he had not been told that another train was stopped ahead of him, although the control centre was aware of equipment problems affecting the Iryo service.

These communications have become an important part of the questions surrounding how the collision occurred. Investigators are still examining the circumstances, and the full sequence of events has not yet been established.

HE HAD WARNED ABOUT RAILWAY CONDITIONS

Away from his work as a train driver, Acedo was involved with the Spanish political party Izquierda Española and had previously raised concerns about the condition of the country’s railway infrastructure.

His friend, journalist Paula Fraga, said he had been among frontline workers warning about deteriorating infrastructure.

Party leader Guillermo del Valle remembered him as “a good man” and described him as a cautious, kind and exemplary colleague.

His death has intensified scrutiny of railway safety, maintenance and investment. Railway workers and unions have also raised concerns about the resources available to staff, while officials have stressed that the investigation must establish the causes before responsibility is assigned.

FAMILIES STILL WAITING FOR NEWS

As emergency teams continued their work, families and friends were desperately trying to establish what had happened to loved ones who had been travelling on the trains.

Among those reported missing were classical music composer María Luisa Manchado, engineer David Reina Reguera and architect Alexandra García Bartolomé.

Manchado’s friends appealed for information after the train operator confirmed that she had scanned her ticket for the journey.

Reguera, 22, had reportedly spoken to his family at around 8:30 a.m., less than half an hour before the collision.

García Bartolomé had also contacted relatives approximately 20 minutes before the crash. She had been travelling to Seville for work.

A headmaster, a television presenter and a food bank volunteer were also among those reported missing in the immediate aftermath.

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES

Among the other victims identified were former Spanish employment minister Fátima Báñez, 24-year-old athlete Julieta Gallego and police officer José Manuel Chacón.

Chacón had married just four months before the disaster. Gallego was remembered by the president of Spain’s Royal Athletics Federation as a young athlete whose life had been unfairly cut short.

The collision has left families grieving, survivors recovering and communities waiting for answers.

For those still searching for loved ones, every passing hour has brought uncertainty. And for the family of Antonio Acedo, the loss is made even more painful by the belief that he was trying to protect the passengers entrusted to his care.

May those who lost their lives rest in peace, and may their families find strength in the days ahead. 🤍🕊️