A tragic train accident has left at least 21 people dead and over 100 injured in southern Spain. The incident occurred on Sunday near the town of Adamuz in the Cordoba province when a high-speed Iryo train travelling from Malaga to Madrid derailed and crashed into an oncoming Renfe train heading from Madrid to Huelva.
According to state broadcaster Television Espanola, the impact was so severe that the first two carriages of the Renfe train were thrown off the tracks. The driver of the Iryo train was among those killed in the collision. Emergency services were quickly dispatched to the scene, with 25 of the 100 reported injured sustaining serious injuries.
Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente described the situation as “very serious”, stating that the last carriages of the Iryo train had derailed and collided with the Renfe train travelling in the opposite direction. “The impact has been terrible, causing the first two units of the Renfe train to be thrown off as a result,” he said.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his deep concern over the tragic incident, stating that the government was working with the relevant authorities and emergency services to assist the passengers. EU Council President Antonio Costa also offered his condolences, saying he was “deeply shocked” by the “terrible train accident”.
All high-speed rail services between Madrid and the Andalusia region, including Cordoba, Seville, Malaga and Huelva, have been suspended for at least Monday as the investigation into the causes of the crash continues. Local hospitals in the area have activated emergency protocols to prepare for an influx of patients.
This devastating incident has left the nation in mourning, and the authorities are working tirelessly to provide support to the victims and their families, as well as to determine the exact circumstances that led to this tragic loss of life.