Adamuz, Spain — At least 39 people have been killed and dozens more injured after two trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening, marking the country’s deadliest rail accident in more than a decade, authorities said.
According to Spain’s Civil Guard, a Madrid-bound train derailed and crossed onto the opposite track, colliding with an oncoming train near the town of Adamuz, in the province of Córdoba. The crash occurred at 7:45 p.m. local time, about an hour after the train departed Málaga heading north.
Around 400 passengers and staff were on board the two trains combined, rail operators said. Emergency services treated 122 people, with 43 still hospitalized, including four children. Authorities said 12 adults and one child remain in intensive care.
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the death toll is “not yet final” and described the incident as “extremely strange,” adding that railway experts consulted by the government are “extremely baffled” by what caused the derailment.
Rail infrastructure operator Adif said the train derailed on a straight stretch of track near Córdoba. The force of the collision pushed the second train’s carriages into an embankment. Most of the fatalities and serious injuries occurred in the front carriages of the southbound train, which was traveling from Madrid to Huelva.
The trains involved included a Freccia 1000 model, capable of speeds up to 400 km/h (250 mph), according to a spokesperson for Italian rail company Ferrovie dello Stato.
Rescue teams said twisted wreckage made it extremely difficult to reach trapped passengers. Córdoba fire chief Francisco Carmona told Spanish broadcaster RTVE that responders were forced to make harrowing choices during rescues.
“We have even had to remove a dead person to be able to reach someone alive,” he stresses. “It is hard, tricky work.”
Survivors described scenes of chaos and terror. RTVE journalist Salvador Jimenez, who was on one of the trains, said the impact felt like an earthquake.
“There was a moment when it felt like the train had derailed,” he said.
Footage from the scene showed overturned carriages, with rescue workers climbing along the wreckage to pull passengers through windows and doors. A passenger identified as José told Canal Sur that people were screaming and calling out for doctors.
All rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended following the crash and are expected to remain closed throughout Monday. Private rail operator Iryo said about 300 passengers were aboard the derailed Málaga-to-Madrid train, while the second train, operated by state-run Renfe, carried around 100 passengers.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. Puente said the investigation is unlikely to determine what happened for at least a month.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the country faces “a night of deep pain.” Adamuz Mayor Rafael Moreno described the scene as “a nightmare.”
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia said they were following developments “with great concern,” offering condolences to the victims’ families and wishes for a swift recovery to the injured.
International leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, also expressed solidarity and condolences.
Emergency medical posts were established near the crash site, while Adif opened support centers for families at major stations in Madrid, Seville, Córdoba, Málaga and Huelva. The Spanish Red Cross deployed emergency teams and counseling services to assist victims’ relatives.
Spain’s last major rail disaster occurred in 2013, when a high-speed train derailed in Galicia, killing 80 people. Spain operates the second-largest high-speed rail network in the world, behind China, spanning more than 4,000 kilometers.
Credit: BBC
