A devastating high-speed rail collision in southern Spain has resulted in at least 39 fatalities and over 150 injuries, marking the country’s deadliest train accident in a decade. The catastrophe occurred Sunday evening near Adamuz, Córdoba province, approximately 370 kilometers south of Madrid, when the rear section of a Malaga-to-Madrid train derailed and collided with an oncoming Madrid-to-Huelva service.
The impact proved particularly catastrophic for the second train, whose first two carriages were violently thrown from the tracks and plunged down a 4-meter embankment. Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the collision as exceptionally severe, with rescue teams continuing search operations Monday amid concerns the death toll could rise further.
Andalusia’s regional president Juan Manuel Moreno revealed the extreme force of impact scattered human remains hundreds of meters from the crash site, complicating recovery efforts. The incident represents the first fatal accident on Spain’s high-speed network since its inauguration in 1992.
Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into what Minister Puente characterized as a ‘truly strange’ accident. Both trains were operating significantly below the 250 kph speed limit on a recently renovated flat section of track. The derailed train, manufactured in 2022 and operated by private company Iryo, had passed its latest safety inspection on January 15. The struck train belonged to Spain’s national rail operator Renfe.
Rail executives have preliminary ruled out human error as a contributing factor. The tragedy occurs despite Spain maintaining Europe’s most extensive high-speed rail infrastructure, with over 3,100 kilometers of dedicated track capable of supporting speeds exceeding 250 kph.