A tragic incident unfolded in southern Spain on Sunday, as two high-speed trains collided, resulting in the deaths of at least 5 individuals. The accident occurred near the town of Adamuz, close to the city of Cordoba, according to state-run television channel RTVE, citing police sources.
The derailment involved an Iryo 6189 service train, travelling from Malaga towards Madrid, which left the tracks and crashed onto an adjacent line. A second train, operating between Madrid and Huelva, was also subsequently derailed on the adjacent track. The incident took place approximately 10 minutes after the Iryo train had departed Malaga at 6:40 pm.
Rail network operator Adif has confirmed the derailment, while the private rail operator Iryo has yet to issue a statement regarding the incident. In the immediate aftermath, Adif announced the suspension of all rail services connecting Madrid and Andalusia, as Andalusia emergency services worked to dispatch at least 9 ambulances and various other emergency support vehicles to the scene.
Salvador Jimenez, a journalist for RTVE who was a passenger on the train travelling from Cordoba to Madrid, shared images from the site. His photographs showed the rear carriage of the train lying on its side, with evacuated passengers visible sitting alongside the overturned carriage.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation, as authorities work to determine the exact circumstances that led to this devastating incident. The loss of life is a tragic outcome, and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected by this devastating event.