Spain’s high-speed train network, the world’s second longest, is a national pride and joy. Whisking passengers across a large country, it is a daily convenience and a symbol of modernity and efficiency.

Two high-speed trains collided on Sunday in southern Spain, killing at least 40 people and injuring dozens of others, according to the local authorities. An additional 41 people were hospitalized, 12 of them in intensive care, the authorities in Andalucía said Monday evening.