Copper cable theft in Spain delays thousands of high-speed rail passengers

Thousands of rail passengers in Spain have faced delays after copper cables used in the signalling system of a high-speed line travelling south from Madrid to Seville were stolen at five locations, authorities said.

The theft, which happened late Sunday, affected dozens of trains travelling between Madrid and the southern Andalusian cities of Seville, Malaga and Granada as many people were returning home to Spain’s capital after a holiday weekend.

Copper prices are high on global markets, meaning criminals stand to collect big sums of cash from selling the material.

Transport minister Oscar Puente said in an X post that he expected the rail line would fully return to its normal schedule by 4pm local time.

Many travellers crowded Madrid’s Atocha station on Monday seeking information about their trains from rail employees and screens with updated departure times.

By 9am, Alberto Valero and his family had spent hours at the station because of delays on services to Seville, where they were headed. Mr Valero was on holiday in Spain from Mexico, and expressed frustration about the lack of information.

“We’re here with tourists from everywhere — France, Portugal,” Mr Valero said. “Everyone is at a loss for what to do because of the total disarray.”

The cable theft took place at five points on the high-speed line in Toledo in central Spain, Mr Puente said on X, adding that Spain’s national police force was investigating the incident.

Spain’s high-speed rail network has expanded rapidly and travels through large stretches of the country’s little-populated countryside.

The incident came a week after a blackout in Spain and Portugal saw high-speed train traffic in Spain ground to a halt, stranding many passengers for several hours.