In a tragic turn of events, a high-speed train collision in southern Spain has claimed the lives of at least 39 people, with 12 others in intensive care, according to the latest reports. The incident occurred on Sunday evening near the municipality of Adamuz in Córdoba province, leaving the nation in a state of shock and mourning.
The collision involved an Iryo train travelling from Málaga to Madrid, which derailed and crossed over onto the other track, where it collided with an oncoming train heading south from Madrid to Huelva. The impact of the crash pushed the carriages of the second train into an embankment, with the majority of the casualties reported to be in the first two carriages of the southbound train.
According to the Spanish transport minister, Oscar Puente, the first train to derail was “practically new,” making the accident “extremely strange.” The cause of the derailment has not yet been determined, and the Railway Accident Investigation Commission is currently investigating the crash.
Rescue efforts to recover all the victims from the derailed carriages are ongoing, and the death toll is expected to rise further. On Monday morning, emergency services in Andalucía reported that 122 people had been treated for their injuries, and 48 people were still in hospital, with 12 of them in intensive care units.
The tragedy has had a significant impact on the region, with train services between Madrid and cities in Andalucía being cancelled on Monday. This incident marks the deadliest train accident in Spain since 2013, when a train travelling at 111mph (179km/h) derailed on a stretch of track with a 50mph speed limit in the north-western region of Galicia, claiming the lives of 80 people.
As the investigation into the causes of this devastating collision continues, the nation mourns the loss of life and grapples with the aftermath of this tragic event.
