At least 39 individuals have lost their lives following a catastrophic high-speed train collision in southern Spain, with rescue operations still underway, as confirmed by police on Monday.
The tragic incident occurred when the rear section of a train traveling from Malaga to Madrid, carrying approximately 300 passengers, derailed near Cordoba at around 7:45 PM on Sunday. This derailed section collided with an incoming train from Madrid to Huelva, another city in southern Spain, as reported by the rail operator Adif.
Injuries and emergency response
Juan Moreno, the Andalusian regional leader, stated that 75 passengers were hospitalized, with 15 in serious condition. Most of the injured were transported to hospitals in Cordoba, located about 390 kilometers south of Madrid.
The Spanish Red Cross has established a help center in the nearby town of Adamuz to provide assistance to emergency services and individuals seeking information about the accident. Throughout the night, Spain’s civil guard and civil defense teams worked diligently at the site of the crash.
Images and videos shared from the scene depicted train cars twisted and overturned under floodlights. Passengers described harrowing escapes, with many climbing out of shattered windows. Journalist Salvador Jiménez, who was on one of the derailed trains, recounted, “there was a moment when it felt like an earthquake and the train had indeed derailed.”
Authorities investigate the cause
Spain’s Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, stated on Monday morning that the precise cause of the crash remains unknown. He referred to the incident as “a truly strange” occurrence, noting that it took place on a flat stretch of track that had undergone renovations in May. The train that derailed was less than four years old and part of the private company Iryo, while the second train, which received the brunt of the impact, is operated by Spain’s public train service, Renfe.
Minister Puente explained that the rear part of the first train derailed and collided with the front of the second train, resulting in its first two carriages being knocked off the tracks and down a four-meter (approximately 13-foot) slope. He added that the most severe damage was sustained by the front section of the Renfe train. When questioned about the duration of the investigation into the crash’s cause, he indicated that it could take up to a month.
Spain boasts the most extensive high-speed rail network in Europe, featuring over 3,100 kilometers of track for trains traveling above 250 kph, according to the European Union. This network is recognized for being a popular, competitively priced, and safe transportation option, with Renfe reporting that over 25 million passengers utilized its high-speed services in 2024.
As a consequence of the accident, train services between Madrid and various Andalusian cities were suspended on Monday. Notably, Spain’s deadliest train disaster in this century occurred in 2013, resulting in 80 fatalities when a train derailed in the northwest region of the country. An investigation revealed that the train was traveling at 179 kph on a segment where the speed limit was set at 80 kph.