A night of mourning for Spain. At least 24 people were killed and 73 injured, 15 of them seriously, in the collision between two high-speed trains that occurred around 7:40 PM near the Adamuz station in the province of Córdoba, Andalusia.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called it "a night of deep sorrow for the country," suspending all official engagements for the following day.
The accident, the most serious since 2020, the year of the liberalization of Spanish railways, involved a train operated by the private operator Iryo – owned by Trenitalia – and a Renfe train headed to Huelva.
The Iryo train, departing Malaga at 6:40 PM and headed for Madrid's Atocha station with 317 passengers on board, derailed with its last three carriages, hitting the adjacent line just as the Renfe train was passing. The impact was devastating: the public train also left the tracks.
The first two carriages of the Renfe Alvia, carrying 53 of the approximately 200 passengers, were almost completely destroyed. The carriages fell down an embankment approximately four meters high.
Among the victims was the driver of the Renfe train. "The impact was terrible," said Transport Minister Óscar Puente, explaining that the first train units were literally thrown off the tracks.
The images shared on social media by passengers immediately demonstrated the gravity of the situation. Rescue operations began immediately, but had to operate in a steep and difficult-to-access area, about four kilometers from the town of Adamuz.
Access roads were closed to facilitate the arrival of emergency vehicles. Dozens of residents from nearby towns approached the checkpoints, bringing blankets and water to rescuers and law enforcement.
The Adamuz municipal sports hall was transformed into a field hospital to treat the minor injuries. From there, buses departed to transport the uninjured passengers to Malaga, Seville, and Cordoba.
The most seriously injured were taken to local hospitals, particularly the Reina Sofía in Cordoba, where numerous family members arrived in the hours that followed, seeking news.
Many survivors reported feeling "two very strong brakes" on the Iryo train before the disaster. "Then chaos ensued," they said, describing people being thrown to the ground, glass breaking, and screams.
"It was like a horror movie," said one passenger. "The problem is that the carriages are completely deformed, with people still inside," Córdoba Fire Chief Francisco Carmona explained to public television.
Andalusian Governor Juanma Moreno also visited the scene of the accident, warning that the death toll could rise as the night operations continued. His advisor, Antonio Sanz, confirmed over 70 injuries, emphasizing that "the situation could increase the death toll."
The investigation has been entrusted to a court in Montoro, while specialized military units are also operating on the ground, primarily engaged in searching among the carriages that fell from the embankment.
Minister Puente called the accident "rare and difficult to explain," noting that the Iryo train involved is relatively new, having been in service for about four years, and that the Madrid-Andalusia line was recently renovated with work completed in May, costing €700 million. Furthermore, the affected section is straight.
The cause of the derailment remains unknown at this time and will be examined by the independent commission investigating rail accidents. The Royal Family has expressed "grave concern" over the incident, while messages of support and solidarity have arrived from numerous European leaders.
Assistance points have been set up at major stations, starting with Madrid Atocha and at several Andalusian airports, for the families of the victims and injured. Due to the accident, high-speed trains between Madrid and southern Spain will be suspended all day Monday.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
What happened is tragic, but I hope the causes of this accident are clarified. Railways should be safe, and something like this shouldn't happen. It's unacceptable that there are so many victims.