By Ayomide Otitoju
At least 39 people were killed and more than 120 injured after a high-speed train derailed and was struck by another train in southern Spain, authorities said on Monday, marking the country’s deadliest rail disaster in more than a decade.
The crash occurred on Sunday evening when a high-speed train operated by private rail company Iryo, travelling from Malaga to Madrid, derailed near Adamuz in the Andalusia region and veered onto an adjacent track, where it was hit by another train.
Spain’s Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, confirmed the death toll, cautioning that the figure was “not definitive” and could still rise. He praised emergency responders for their overnight efforts under challenging conditions.
The Interior Ministry said about 123 people were injured, including five in critical condition and 24 seriously hurt. Approximately 300 passengers were on board the Iryo train at the time of the accident. Renfe, the operator of the second train, which was travelling to the southern city of Huelva, has not disclosed passenger numbers.
Puente said the derailment occurred on a straight section of track that had been fully renovated, unlike the 2013 Santiago de Compostela crash, which happened on a curved stretch of rail and claimed 80 lives. He described the incident as “extremely strange” and difficult to explain, noting that the derailed train was “practically new.”
Iryo said the locomotive was built in 2022 and had last been inspected on January 15. The company added that the train derailed for reasons that remain unknown and that an investigation is underway.
Emergency services faced major challenges rescuing passengers trapped in twisted and mangled carriages. Francisco Carmona, head of firefighters in Cordoba, told public broadcaster RTVE that rescuers had to cut through warped metal to reach survivors.
Survivors described scenes of chaos and terror. A passenger on the second train, identified only as Montse, told Spanish television that the train jolted violently before coming to a halt and plunging into darkness, with luggage flying through the carriage and passengers injured. Another survivor, Lucas Meriako, who was travelling on the Iryo train, told La Sexta television the crash felt “like a horror movie.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he would visit the crash site later on Monday. Describing the incident as a moment of “deep pain” for the country, he said no words could ease the suffering caused by the tragedy.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a swift recovery. Messages of sympathy also poured in from international leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Spain operates Europe’s largest high-speed rail network, with more than 3,000 kilometres of dedicated tracks linking major cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Malaga.
