Benidorm observes a minute of silence for the victims of the Urda accident and joins the three-day national mourning period
Flags will fly at half-mast as a sign of mourning, and the organ festival event organised by the department of culture has been cancelled
Several hundred people observed a minute of silence this evening in memory of the victims of the railway accident that occurred this morning near the town of Urda, in the province of Toledo. According to the latest official figures, the accident has claimed 68 lives so far. At 8 p.m., SS MM Reyes de España Square fell silent as a sign of respect and mourning. The gathering was led by acting Mayor José Ramón González de Zárate and attended by members of the City Council, residents and tourists.
Benidorm City Council has thus joined the nationwide call issued by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP). From midnight tonight, the city will also observe the three days of official mourning declared by the Spanish Government. As a result, flags at public buildings and other public spaces will fly at half-mast. The International Organ Festival event organised by the Department of Culture, scheduled for this Friday at Sant Jaume Church, has also been cancelled.
Earlier this morning, following news of the accident, Benidorm Mayor Toni Pérez expressed, on behalf of the city, “our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims”. Joining the expressions of “grief over this terrible railway accident that has devastated so many families”, he also offered the city's support, stating its willingness to “help in any way we can during these difficult times”, and wished those injured in the accident a “speedy recovery”.
