At least 40 people have now been confirmed dead and more than 150 injured after two high-speed trains derailed and collided near Adamuz in Córdoba province, in one of Spain’s deadliest rail disasters in years.
The accident occurred Sunday evening when an Iryo service from Málaga to Madrid derailed and crossed onto an adjacent track, colliding with a Renfe Alvia train bound for Huelva. Rescue teams have recovered victims and treated numerous injured, with dozens still hospitalised.
Investigators report that a broken rail joint — a section of track known as a fishplate — has been identified at the crash site, and early analysis suggests this may be a critical factor in how the derailment occurred, though officials stress that the full investigation is ongoing and no definitive cause has yet been confirmed.
On Monday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the scene in Adamuz and announced that the Government has decreed three days of national mourning for the victims, calling for unity in grief and in the response. Sánchez pledged that investigators will determine the cause of the tragedy “with absolute transparency and clarity,” and assured that support for victims and their families will continue. During his address, Sánchez highlighted the coordinated response from emergency services and public institutions.
The British Embassy in Madrid has also expressed its deepest sorrow for the victims and extended condolences to bereaved families, while Adif has suspended all high-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalucía as recovery and forensic work continues.
Photo: Guardia Civil
