Former Spanish minister Fátima Báñez reported dead in deadly train collision

Former Spanish Employment and Social Security Minister Fátima Báñez was reported dead following the deadly train collision in Urda, Toledo, according to reports published on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

Borja Sémper, spokesperson for Spain’s conservative People’s Party (PP), announced her death in a post on X before deleting the message minutes later, according to Spanish media reports.

Lorenzo Amor, president of the National Federation of Associations of Self-Employed Workers (ATA), also paid tribute to Báñez in a social media post. He said they had planned to meet in Seville for lunch before taking a flight back to Madrid.

“Getting on a train should not be an act of faith, nor should reaching your destination depend on luck,” Amor wrote, expressing his grief over the loss of his friend and colleague.

On Wednesday, Seville Mayor José Luis Sanz said Báñez’s family had been unable to contact her following the crash.

Reports the previous day indicated that Báñez had been traveling aboard an Iryo train involved in the collision with another high-speed train on October 28 in Urda, Toledo.

Báñez was the first woman to lead Spain’s Ministry of Employment and Social Security and one of the longest-serving ministers in that position. She held office during a period when Spain was grappling with the employment crisis that followed the 2008 financial crash.

The collision has left dozens dead and injured, with rescue efforts and investigations continuing.