• Thousands of travelers stranded due to coordinated cable theft on high-speed rail.
• The theft occurred at multiple locations along the Madrid-Seville line.
• Over 10,000 passengers affected as services resumed gradually after disruptions.
• This incident follows a nationwide blackout affecting rail services.
• Authorities have opened an investigation to determine the perpetrators.

A coordinated theft of copper cables at five locations along the high-speed rail line connecting Madrid and Seville caused significant travel disruptions, stranding thousands of passengers. Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the incident as a "serious act of sabotage" that occurred just after a busy holiday weekend and ahead of the Feria festival in Seville, affecting more than 10,000 travelers and at least 30 trains, according to aa, indiatimes, and bbc.

The theft impacted train operations severely, causing numerous cancellations and delays. Renfe, Spain's state-owned rail operator, urged passengers to avoid traveling to Atocha station as services ground to a halt for over 15 hours. Many trains were stranded overnight, and some passengers reported spending hours stuck on rail cars, according to indiatimes and channelnewsasia.

Authorities, responding to the incident and its implications on public safety, have initiated an investigation and emphasized that the theft likely involved meticulous planning, given its execution in areas without surveillance. The railway network had only recently recovered from a significant blackout that similarly stalled operations, leading many to question the frequency of such incidents, according to aa, bbc, and channelnewsasia.