MADRID, May 5, (AP): Thousands of rail passengers in Spain were hit with delays after the cable used in the signaling system of the high-speed line between Madrid and Seville was stolen at four locations, Spanish rail authorities said Monday. The theft, which happened late Sunday, affected dozens of trains traveling between Madrid and Andalucía, just as many people were returning home to the capital after a holiday weekend.

On Monday, droves of travelers crowded Madrid's Atocha station seeking information about their trains from rail employees and screens with updated departure times. Spain's state-owned rail operator Renfe told passengers with trains departing Madrid before 8 am to not arrive early to avoid further crowding.

Alberto Valero and his family had spent hours at the station by 9 a.m. due to the delays on the train line connecting Madrid and Seville, where they were headed. Valero was on vacation in Spain from Mexico, and expressed frustration about the lack of information. "We're here with tourists from everywhere - France, Portugal,” Valero said. "Everyone is at a loss for what to do because of the total disarray.”

The cable theft took place at four points on the high-speed line in Toledo in central Spain, Spain’s railway infrastructure company ADIF said on X. The incident came a week after a massive power outage in Spain and Portugal ground high-speed train traffic in Spain to a halt, stranding thousands of passengers.