Tens of thousands of travelers were left stranded late Sunday and into Monday after coordinated cable thefts caused widespread disruption to Spain’s high-speed rail network, particularly on the Madrid-Seville line. The incident came at the end of a long weekend and on Spanish Mother’s Day, intensifying the impact on passengers returning from holiday.
Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente labeled the sabotage as “coordinated” and “deliberate,” saying the thieves hit four sites lacking camera surveillance. “The economic gain from this is negligible compared to the damage it caused,” he said. Meanwhile, Spain’s rail operator Renfe reported that 30 trains carrying 10,700 passengers were halted, and others delayed due to a secondary power-line failure.
Service began to resume around 9:30 a.m. local time Monday, over 15 hours after the shutdown began. The incident followed a major blackout the previous week that also disrupted national rail services, raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of Spain’s critical infrastructure.
