Night of Tragedy in Spain: High-Speed Trains Collide, At Least 39 Killed

At least 39 people were killed and more than 70 injured after a dramatic collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain late on Sunday, plunging the country into mourning. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the disaster as “a night of deep pain” and cancelled his Monday agenda to focus on the unfolding tragedy.

The crash occurred near the town of Adamuz in Córdoba province, roughly ten minutes after an Iryo high-speed service departed Málaga for Madrid at 6:40 pm. According to Spain’s rail infrastructure manager Adif, the Iryo train derailed on a straight section of track, crossed onto the opposite line and struck an oncoming Renfe train travelling from Madrid to Huelva. Both trains left the tracks, with several carriages tumbling down a four-metre embankment.

Iryo said around 300 passengers were on board its train, while Spanish media reported that up to 400 people may have been travelling on the two services combined. The derailment affected carriages six to eight of the Iryo train. Emergency services, including firefighters, the Guardia Civil and medical teams, were deployed immediately and worked through the night under extremely difficult conditions.

Seventy-five people were taken to hospital, with at least 24 to 30 listed in serious condition, according to regional and national officials. Andalusia’s top emergency official, Antonio Sanz, warned that the death toll could still rise, citing the complexity of rescue operations. Córdoba fire chief Francisco Carmona said some carriages were badly crushed, with twisted metal and seats trapping passengers inside. In some cases, bodies had to be removed to reach survivors.

Passengers described scenes of chaos and terror. Witnesses spoke of violent shaking, carriages overturning, lights going out and luggage falling from overhead racks. One passenger likened the impact to an earthquake, while another said the scene resembled a “horror movie”. People used emergency hammers to smash windows and escape, as smoke filled parts of the train. An Iryo staff member was seen instructing passengers to remain calm, stay seated where possible and conserve phone batteries while awaiting evacuation.

Most of the fatalities and serious injuries were reported to have occurred in the first two carriages of the second train. Medical crews and firefighters continued searching narrow and unstable spaces well into the night. Television footage showed a large-scale emergency response at the site, illuminated by floodlights.

Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the cause of the accident was still unknown and described the incident as “extremely strange”, noting that the track section had been fully renovated in May and that the Iryo train involved was nearly new. Investigations are under way to determine how the derailment occurred on a straight stretch of line.

Local residents in Adamuz, a town of about 5,000 people, opened a reception centre for stranded passengers. Volunteers brought food, blankets and hot drinks as temperatures dropped to around 6°C overnight. Adif suspended all high-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalusia, including routes to Córdoba, Seville, Málaga and Huelva, for at least Monday.

Messages of sympathy poured in from across Spain and abroad. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia said they were following developments with deep concern and offered condolences to the families of the victims, as well as wishes for a swift recovery for the injured. French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were among the international leaders expressing solidarity.

Spain has one of Europe’s largest high-speed rail networks, spanning more than 3,000 kilometres and linking major cities across the country. The tragedy has revived painful memories of the 2013 derailment near Santiago de Compostela, which claimed 80 lives, marking one of the deadliest rail disasters in Spain’s modern history.