BARCELONA, Spain — A catastrophic train collision in southern Spain has claimed at least 41 lives while producing a remarkable story of survival amid overwhelming tragedy. The incident, which occurred near Adamuz on Monday, January 19, 2026, resulted in one of Spain’s deadliest rail accidents in recent history.
Eyewitness accounts describe terrifying moments as carriages derailed and tumbled down a steep embankment, their structural integrity compromised by the violent impact. Amid the twisted wreckage and heartbreaking scenes of casualties, rescue workers discovered a miraculous survivor—a six-year-old girl who emerged virtually unharmed from the devastation.
According to La Vanguardia newspaper, Civil Guard officers located the child walking barefoot along the tracks after she apparently escaped through a shattered window. Medical personnel confirmed her remarkably good condition, requiring only three stitches for a minor head injury despite the severity of the crash.
The young survivor’s family experienced unimaginable loss, with both parents, her brother, and a cousin among those killed in the front carriages that absorbed the worst of the impact. The Zamorano Álvarez family, residents of Punta Umbria village located near the ill-fated rail line, were returning home when the tragedy struck.
Punta Umbria Mayor José Carlos Hernández expressed both profound grief and measured relief regarding the girl’s survival. “There are many people who are very sad for the victims of this terrible accident,” he stated during a press conference Tuesday, “but there were also many who survived, like the miracle of the girl who is safe.”
The municipality has declared three days of official mourning as investigation continues into the cause of the derailment. Meanwhile, the orphaned child has been placed in the care of her grandparents at a hotel in Córdoba, the nearest major city to the crash site. Mayor Hernández emphasized the family’s commitment, noting “She has a tremendous family who will do what it takes for her to have a happy life.”