High-speed trains collide after derailment in southern Spain, killing at least 21

BARCELONA, Spain (Journos News) – Spain is investigating one of its deadliest rail disasters in years after a high-speed passenger train derailed and struck an oncoming service in southern Andalusia, killing at least 21 people and injuring dozens more, authorities said early Monday.

The collision occurred on Sunday evening near the village of Adamuz, north of the city of Córdoba, when part of a train traveling from Málaga to Madrid left the tracks and crossed into the opposite line, colliding head-on with a train traveling from Madrid to Huelva. Emergency crews worked through the night to rescue survivors and recover bodies from the wreckage.

Spain’s transport minister, Óscar Puente, confirmed after midnight that all survivors had been removed from the scene, though he cautioned that the number of confirmed fatalities could still change as identification efforts continued.

What happened on the Córdoba line

According to rail infrastructure operator Adif, the rear section of the Málaga-to-Madrid train derailed at approximately 7:45 p.m. local time. The train, carrying around 300 passengers, jumped onto the adjacent track and struck the front of the oncoming Renfe-operated service, which had roughly 200 passengers on board.

Puente said the impact caused the first two carriages of the Renfe train to derail and fall down a four-meter embankment. The front section of that train sustained the most severe damage, while at least four wagons across both trains were forced off the rails.

Officials described the incident as highly unusual. The stretch of track where the derailment occurred is flat, straight, and had undergone renovation as recently as May, according to the transport ministry.

“This is a truly strange accident,” Puente said, adding that the train that initially derailed was less than four years old.

Casualties and emergency response

Andalusia’s regional president, Juanma Moreno, said at least 75 passengers were taken to hospitals, most of them in Córdoba. Fifteen people were reported to be in serious condition.

Emergency responders described challenging conditions at the scene. The collision occurred at dusk in a rural area that is difficult to access, forcing rescue teams to operate in near-total darkness during the early hours of the response.

“We have a very difficult night ahead,” said Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s regional health chief, as crews worked to free trapped passengers and recover bodies from heavily damaged carriages.

Spain’s military emergency relief units were deployed alongside firefighters, medical teams, civil protection officials, and Red Cross volunteers. Local residents also brought blankets and water to assist survivors while ambulances shuttled the injured to nearby hospitals.

Passenger accounts from inside the trains

Survivors described scenes of confusion and panic in the moments after the collision. Salvador Jiménez, a journalist with Spanish public broadcaster RTVE who was traveling on one of the trains, said passengers initially struggled to understand what had happened.

“There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake,” Jiménez told RTVE by phone. “Then it was clear the train had derailed.”

Videos circulating from the scene showed passengers climbing out through shattered windows as several carriages leaned at sharp angles. Some used emergency hammers to break glass and escape, while others walked away with minor injuries despite the scale of the crash.

Fire officials in Córdoba said at least one train was severely mangled, complicating rescue efforts and requiring specialized equipment to access trapped areas.

Operators and officials respond

The derailed train was operated by Iryo, a private high-speed rail company, while the oncoming service belonged to Spain’s state-owned rail operator Renfe. Iryo said in a statement that it “deeply lamented what has happened” and was cooperating fully with authorities.

Renfe and Adif did not immediately comment on potential causes, citing the ongoing investigation. Puente said a formal inquiry had begun and could take at least a month to complete.

Train services between Madrid and several Andalusian cities were suspended on Monday as investigators examined the damaged track and rolling stock.

National and European reaction

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed condolences to the victims’ families, calling the night “one of deep sadness for our country.” King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia also conveyed their sympathy and concern in public messages.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was following the “terrible news” from Córdoba and offered her thoughts to those affected, underscoring the broader European shock at the accident.

A rare tragedy on a vast high-speed network

Spain operates the largest high-speed rail network in Europe, with more than 3,100 kilometers of track designed for speeds above 250 kilometers per hour, according to European Union data. High-speed rail is widely regarded as a safe and affordable mode of transport in the country.

Renfe said more than 25 million passengers traveled on its high-speed services in 2024. Serious accidents involving high-speed trains are rare, making Sunday’s crash particularly alarming for passengers and officials alike.

Spain’s worst rail disaster this century occurred in 2013, when a train derailed in the northwest of the country, killing 80 people. Investigators later concluded that excessive speed was the primary cause. Authorities have not suggested any similar factor in the Córdoba crash, and officials have emphasized that it is too early to draw conclusions.

As investigators work to determine why a modern train derailed on recently renovated track, Spain faces renewed scrutiny of rail safety systems that have long been held up as a European benchmark.