High-Speed Train Collision in Spain Leaves at Least 39 Dead

A tragic train collision in southern Spain has resulted in at least 39 fatalities and left dozens injured, marking the deadliest rail disaster in the country in over ten years. According to Spain’s Civil Guard, the accident took place on Sunday evening when a Madrid-bound train derailed and crossed onto the opposite tracks, colliding head-on with an oncoming train near Adamuz.

The collision involved a total of 400 passengers and staff aboard both trains. Emergency services attended to 122 individuals, with 48 people, including five children, still hospitalized. Of these, 11 adults and one child are in intensive care. Spain’s Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, indicated that the death toll may rise as officials commence an investigation into the incident.

Puente described the disaster as "extremely strange" and mentioned that railway experts are perplexed by the crash. Adif, the rail network operator, reported that the collision occurred at 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT), approximately an hour after the train departed Málaga en route to Madrid. The train derailed on a straight stretch of track near Córdoba, causing the other train’s carriages to slam into an embankment. Tragically, the majority of casualties were in the front carriages of the second train traveling to Huelva. The train involved was a Freccia 1000, capable of reaching speeds of up to 400 km/h (250 mph).

Rescue efforts have been challenging due to the wreckage. Francisco Carmona, the fire chief in Córdoba, described the difficulty of reaching those trapped, revealing that they had to remove deceased passengers to reach survivors. A journalist from RTVE, Salvador Jimenez, recounted the experience likening the impact to an "earthquake".

In response to the crash, all rail services between Madrid and Andalusia have been suspended and are expected to remain closed throughout Monday. Iryo, which operated the Málaga train, reported about 300 passengers onboard, while Renfe’s train carried around 100 passengers. The exact cause of the accident remains unknown, with an investigation expected to take at least a month. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, and King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia conveyed their condolences, expressing concern for all affected.

The Andalusian emergency agency has urged survivors to notify families of their safety, highlighting the ongoing efforts to ascertain the status of those involved.