A devastating train collision in southern Spain on Sunday evening has claimed the lives of at least 39 people, with dozens more injured in what authorities have described as an “extremely strange” incident.
The accident occurred around 7:45 pm local time near the town of Adamuz in the province of Córdoba, when the tail end of a high-speed Iryo train travelling from Málaga to Madrid derailed and collided with an oncoming Renfe service train travelling from Madrid to Huelva.
According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, the Iryo train first derailed and then crashed into the Renfe train, pushing it off the tracks and down an embankment. Iryo’s high-speed Frecciarossa 1000 train was carrying over 300 passengers, while the Renfe-operated Madrid-Huelva Alvia train had between 100 and 200 people on board.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the incident as “really strange”, noting that it happened on a straight stretch of track that had been renewed just last May. He said the rear section of the Iryo train had derailed, while the front of the Renfe train took the full impact of the collision and plunged several metres down the embankment.
At least 75 people were hospitalised, including 15 in serious condition, according to Juanma Moreno, the regional president of Andalusia. The 27-year-old driver of the Madrid-Huelva train was among those killed in the accident.
Emergency services worked through the night in cold conditions, with temperatures dropping to around 6°C, to rescue trapped passengers from the mangled train carriages. Footage shared on social media showed rescuers pulling people from the twisted wreckage, while others escaped by climbing through smashed windows or were wheeled away on stretchers.
The cause of the derailment is still under investigation, with Puente stating that it could take up to a month to determine the exact circumstances. He described the crash as unusual because it occurred on a flat track, not a curve, and involved a train less than four years old.
Both Renfe and Iryo have said they are cooperating fully with the authorities as the investigation continues. Rail services between Madrid and Andalusia have been suspended, with the infrastructure manager Adif stating that they will not resume until safety checks are completed.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his deep sadness over the tragedy, while King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia offered their condolences. The European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, also said she was closely following the situation.
Spain has the largest high-speed rail network in Europe, with over 3,100 km of track, and the system is widely regarded as safe. The country’s worst rail disaster this century occurred in 2013 when 80 people were killed after a train derailed in Galicia while travelling at excessive speed.
