21 Dead, 70 Injured as Two Trains Collide in Spain
Spain mourned on Monday after a collision between two high-speed trains in Andalusia killed 21 people and injured more than 70.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described it as a “night of deep pain.”
The disaster occurred Sunday evening near Adamuz, when a Malaga–Madrid service derailed and crossed onto the opposite track, colliding with an oncoming train, according to Adif, Spain’s rail network operator.
Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s top emergencies official, said at least 73 people were injured and warned that the death toll could rise.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente confirmed 30 of the injured were in serious condition, adding that all had been evacuated to hospitals.
The first train involved was “practically new” and the accident occurred on a straight, fully renovated section of track, Puente said, describing the crash as “extremely strange.”
Iryo, the operator of the Malaga–Madrid service, said about 300 passengers were on board.
Emergency responders faced immense challenges due to twisted carriages, some of which had fallen four metres down an embankment.
Francisco Carmona, head of Cordoba firefighters, described the rescue efforts as “hard, tricky work,” adding that crews sometimes had to remove bodies to reach survivors.
Passengers recounted harrowing experiences.
Montse, on the second train bound for Huelva, said the train “came to a complete stop… everything went dark,” with luggage and people thrown around.
Lucas Meriako, on the first train, told La Sexta television the scene “looked like a horror movie,” with passengers injured by broken glass.
High-speed services between Madrid and Andalusian cities including Cordoba, Seville, Malaga, and Huelva were suspended at least for Monday, Adif announced.
Support centres were set up at major stations to assist relatives of victims.
Spain’s defence ministry deployed 40 military emergency personnel and 15 vehicles to the crash site.
Prime Minister Sanchez wrote on X that “no words can alleviate such great suffering.”
The royal palace said King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were following events with “great concern,” offering condolences to families of the victims.
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also expressed sympathy.
Spain has Europe’s largest high-speed rail network, with more than 3,000 km of dedicated tracks.
The last major high-speed rail disaster occurred in 2013 near Santiago de Compostela, killing 80 and injuring over 140 — Spain’s deadliest since 1944.
AFP
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