At Least 40 Dead in Spain's Deadliest Train Crash in Over a Decade
A fatal collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain kills at least 40, prompting national mourning and a major investigation.
- • At least 40 people killed and dozens injured in a train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain.
- • The crash involved a derailed Iryo train from Málaga to Madrid colliding with a Renfe train to Huelva.
- • Emergency services are recovering victims and aiding families with DNA identification.
- • Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning.
- • The cause remains under investigation with no immediate signs of human error.
Key details
On Sunday evening near Adamuz in southern Spain, a catastrophic collision between two high-speed trains resulted in at least 40 confirmed deaths, marking the deadliest train crash in the country since 2013. The incident occurred around 7:45 PM when the rear carriages of a privately operated Iryo train traveling from Málaga to Madrid derailed and collided with a Renfe national train heading towards Huelva. Approximately 289 to 300 passengers were aboard the Iryo train, with nearly 200 passengers on the Renfe train. The collision displaced the first two carriages of the Renfe train and scattered bodies across a wide area, with survivors being rescued by morning hours.
Emergency services are actively recovering victims and providing support to families, requesting DNA samples to aid identification. Authorities report that 41 injured individuals remain hospitalized, 12 of whom are in critical condition. Pedro Sánchez, Spain's Prime Minister, declared three days of national mourning following the tragedy and expressed his condolences on social media. Andalusia's President, Juanma Moreno, confirmed the death toll and ongoing recovery efforts during a press conference.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the accident as “tremendously strange,” noting it occurred on a recently renovated flat section of track, with both trains operating well below maximum speed limits. The cause of the accident remains under thorough investigation, with no immediate evidence pointing to human error.
This disaster has deeply affected the local community and the entire nation, highlighting the vulnerability of Spain's high-speed rail network, which had not experienced a fatal accident since its inauguration in 1992. The crash surpasses previous incidents in severity, drawing attention to the urgent need for comprehensive safety reviews and infrastructure assessments within the rail system.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (3)
Source comparison
Number of passengers on the derailed train
Sources report different numbers of passengers on the derailed train
nytimes.com
"approximately 300 passengers were aboard the derailed train"
latimes.com
"a high-speed train carrying 289 passengers derailed"
Why this matters: One source states there were approximately 300 passengers on the derailed train, while another mentions 289 passengers. This discrepancy affects the understanding of the scale of the incident.