At least 21 people have been killed and dozens more injured following a devastating train collision in southern Spain, marking the country’s deadliest rail accident in more than ten years. Authorities have warned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue.
The crash occurred near Adamuz, close to the city of Córdoba, when carriages on a Madrid-bound train derailed and crossed onto the opposite track, colliding head-on with an oncoming train. Spain’s rail networks confirmed that around 400 passengers and staff were travelling on the two trains at the time of the incident.
Andalusia’s emergency services said at least 24 people suffered serious injuries, including four children. Many of the victims were in the front carriages of the second train, which were forced into an embankment by the impact.
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the collision as “extremely strange,” noting that railway experts consulted by the government are “deeply baffled” by how the accident occurred. An official investigation has now been launched.
Rail infrastructure operator Adif said the derailment happened roughly ten minutes after the train departed Málaga at 18:40 local time (17:40 GMT), on a straight section of track while travelling toward Madrid.
The train involved was identified as a Freccia 1000 high-speed model, capable of reaching speeds of up to 400 km/h (250 mph), according to a spokesperson for Italy’s Ferrovie dello Stato.
Rescue teams reported that twisted and mangled carriages made it extremely difficult to reach passengers trapped inside. Córdoba fire chief Francisco Carmona told Spanish public broadcaster RTVE that crews were forced to make grim choices during the operation. “In some cases, we had to remove a deceased person to reach someone who was still alive. It is very hard and delicate work,” he said.
As Spain mourns the victims, questions remain over how such a catastrophic rail disaster could happen on a routine journey, intensifying scrutiny of railway safety across the country.
