At Least 40 Dead After High-Speed Train Collision in Southern Spain

Post by : Saif

Southern Spain has suffered one of the deadliest railway accidents in recent decades. On Sunday night, a high-speed train derailed and collided with another oncoming train near Adamuz, in Cordoba province. At least 40 people died, and 12 others are in intensive care.

The crash involved two trains carrying a total of 527 passengers. The Iryo train, traveling from Malaga to Madrid at 110 kilometers per hour, derailed first. Seconds later, a second train heading toward Huelva at 200 kilometers per hour either collided with the last two carriages of the Iryo train or with debris from the derailment. The impact split carriages and crushed the locomotive.

Rescue efforts were challenging because the accident occurred in a remote, hilly olive-growing region accessible only by a single-track road. Emergency crews had difficulty bringing heavy equipment to lift the wreckage and reach trapped passengers. Police drone footage showed the two trains had stopped about 500 meters apart after the collision.

Survivors described the horror of the crash. Ana Garcia Aranda, 26, recalled being trapped and hearing screams, while firefighters rescued her pregnant sister from the wreckage. Locals rushed to the site to help, witnessing scenes of severe injuries and death.

Initial investigations suggest a faulty rail joint could have contributed to the derailment. Experts noted a broken section of the track may have widened as trains passed, which could have triggered the accident. Spain’s Commission of Investigation of Rail Accidents (CIAF) is looking into the interaction between the track and the trains to determine the exact cause. Human error is considered unlikely.

The accident prompted the cancellation of over 200 trains to Andalusia. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez canceled his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos to oversee the response, and Transport Minister Oscar Puente visited the site. Authorities have opened an office in Cordoba to help families identify victims through DNA testing.

Spain’s high-speed railway network is the second-largest in the world, after China, and underwent renovations near Adamuz last May. The Iryo train involved in the crash was under four years old and inspected just days before the accident. Last year, Spanish train drivers warned of severe wear on the Madrid-Andalusia line, calling for stricter speed limits.

This tragedy is the worst railway disaster in Spain since 2013 and among the deadliest in Europe in 80 years. It underscores the need for continued safety measures, proper inspections, and careful monitoring of high-speed rail infrastructure.

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