At Least 21 Dead in Southern Spain High-Speed Train Collision
High-speed trains collide near Adamuz in southern Spain, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than 70, as authorities launch rescue operations
- At least 21 people were killed when a high-speed train from Malaga to Madrid
- More than 70 passengers were injured, with critically injured victims taken to nearby hospitals
- The cause of the derailment is unknown, with officials noting it occurred on a straight
A catastrophic high-speed train collision in southern Spain has claimed at least 21 lives, with authorities warning the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue. Over 30 people remain seriously injured in hospital, according to Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente.
The accident occurred near the town of Adamuz, close to Cordoba, when a high-speed train from Malaga to Madrid derailed and crossed onto another track, colliding head-on with an oncoming train from Madrid to Huelva, the rail operator Adif confirmed. Emergency services reported a total of 73 injured passengers.
The derailment has been described as “extremely strange” because it occurred on a straight, recently refurbished track, with the official cause yet to be determined. Investigators expect it will take at least a month to establish what happened.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called it a “night of deep pain.” Around 300 passengers were on the derailed train operated by private company Iryo, while the oncoming Renfe train carried about 100 passengers.
Local authorities and rescue crews faced enormous challenges due to the twisted wreckage, with some dead being removed to reach survivors. Cordoba fire chief Francisco Carmona described the recovery work as “hard and tricky.”
The accident has led to a suspension of all rail services between Madrid and Andalusia, with stations keeping terminals open overnight for families and stranded passengers. The Freccia 1000 train involved can reach speeds of up to 400 km/h (250 mph).
Spain’s Red Cross has deployed emergency teams and counselling services for families. Survivors described the impact as feeling like an earthquake, with passengers waiting in freezing conditions for evacuation.
Spain’s royal family, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, expressed their “great concern” and condolences, while international leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen offered support and sympathy.
The incident recalls Spain’s deadliest high-speed train accident in Galicia in 2013, which killed 80 people and injured 140 others.
