At least 21 passengers were killed and nearly 100 injured after a high-speed train derailed and smashed into another train in southern Spain on Sunday evening, triggering one of the country’s deadliest rail accidents in recent years.
Collision near Adamuz in Cordoba
The accident occurred near Adamuz in Cordoba province at around 6.40 pm local time, according to Spanish rail infrastructure operator Adif. A high-speed Iryo train travelling from Malaga to Madrid derailed and crashed onto an adjacent track, where it struck a Renfe-operated train heading from Madrid to Huelva, forcing both trains off the rails.
State broadcaster TVE reported that 25 of the injured are in serious condition. Among those killed was the driver of one of the trains.
Trapped passengers and difficult rescue
Cordoba fire chief Paco Carmona said the Malaga–Madrid train, carrying more than 300 passengers, had been evacuated, but carriages of the second train — which had about 100 passengers onboard — were badly damaged.
“There are still people trapped. We don’t know how many people have died,” Carmona said, adding that rescue teams were working in extremely narrow spaces. “We have to remove bodies to reach anyone who may still be alive.”
Operators and trains involved
The Iryo service involved was reportedly a Frecciarossa 1000, operated by Iryo, a private rail company majority-owned by Ferrovie dello Stato. The second train was run by Renfe.
Officials react as toll feared to rise
Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente said he was monitoring the situation from Adif’s headquarters in Madrid. “The impact was terrible. The most important thing now is to help the victims,” he said in a social media post.
Adamuz mayor Rafael Moreno described the scene as horrific, saying local residents and officials were focused on assisting survivors.
Community support amid cold night
Television images showed a reception centre set up in Adamuz, a town of around 5,000 residents, where locals provided food and blankets to passengers as night-time temperatures dropped to about 6°C.
Authorities said investigations are underway to determine the cause of the derailment, while rescue and recovery operations continued late into the night.