The accident occurred on Sunday evening near Adamuz in the province of Córdoba, when a train operated by private rail company Iryo travelling from Málaga to Madrid derailed and crossed onto an adjacent track. It subsequently collided with an oncoming train heading from Madrid to Huelva.
Spanish authorities say the crash took place on a straight and recently renovated section of track, adding to the mystery surrounding the derailment. Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the incident as “extremely strange,” noting that the first train involved was almost new and had recently passed inspection.
Emergency services worked through the night to reach passengers trapped in the mangled carriages, with crews deploying heavy machinery to lift wreckage and assist survivors. Around 123 people were reported injured, including several with serious and critical wounds, the interior ministry said.
Heart-wrenching testimonies have emerged from survivors, some describing how they were thrown about inside the carriages and forced to escape through broken windows in the chaos that followed the impact.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy, declaring a period of national mourning and cancelling planned official engagements to visit the crash site. The Royal Palace also issued a message of condolences on behalf of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, offering sympathy to the families of the victims.
Authorities have emphasised that the official death toll could yet rise as rescue and recovery operations continue and more bodies are potentially recovered from the debris.
The collision is the deadliest rail accident in Spain since a high-speed train derailed in Santiago de Compostela in 2013, when 80 people were killed and scores more injured.
An investigation has been launched to determine the precise cause of the crash, with early indications suggesting that the derailment was not due to excessive speed or human error but remains unexplained.
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