A devastating accident on Sunday evening has left at least 21 people dead and dozens more injured after two high-speed trains collided near the town of Adamuz in Córdoba province, southern Spain. Officials warn the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continue through the twisted wreckage.
The incident happened around 7:40 p.m. local time when a train traveling from Málaga to Madrid (operated by private company Iryo, carrying about 300 passengers) derailed on a straight section of track. Part of it crossed over to the opposite line and slammed head-on into an oncoming train heading from Madrid to Huelva (operated by Renfe, with around 100-200 passengers).
The impact was so forceful that some carriages were pushed off the tracks and down an embankment, making rescue work extremely difficult. Emergency teams had to carefully navigate the mangled metal to reach trapped survivors in some heartbreaking cases, they had to move deceased passengers to access those still alive.
Passengers described the moment as feeling like an “earthquake,” with screams, chaos, and people using phone flashlights in the dark to find their way. Many of the most seriously injured — including at least 24 in grave condition — were in the front carriages of the second train.
Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente called the crash “extremely strange” and “baffling,” noting that the track was recently renovated and the derailment occurred on a straight stretch. An investigation is underway, but it could take weeks or months to determine the exact cause.
Spain’s high-speed network is one of the world’s largest and generally very safe, but this is the country’s worst rail disaster in over a decade, since the 2013 Galicia crash that killed 80.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described it as a “night of deep pain” for the nation, while King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia expressed their condolences. Leaders from France, Italy, and the EU have also offered support.
All services on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed line remain suspended, with major disruptions expected.
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy.