At least 39 people have died and 12 remain in intensive care after two trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening. The crash occurred near the municipality of Adamuz in Córdoba province when a high-speed Iryo train travelling from Málaga to Madrid derailed at about 7.40pm and crossed onto another track, hitting an oncoming Renfe train.
The second train also derailed, falling down a 4-metre slope. The two trains were carrying about 500 people in total. Emergency services reported that 122 people were treated for injuries, with 48 still in hospital on Monday morning.
Passengers described scenes of chaos and terror. One woman on the derailed train told Reuters: 'The train tipped to one side … then everything went dark, and all I heard was screams.' She was dragged out through a window by other passengers. Another passenger on the second train said: 'There were people screaming, their bags fell from the shelves.'
The Córdoba fire chief, Paco Carmona, said rescue efforts were complicated by badly damaged carriages. 'We have to remove the bodies to reach anyone who is still alive,' he told TVE. Spain's transport minister, Óscar Puente, said the cause was unknown but noted it was 'really strange' for a derailment to occur on a straight stretch of track that was renewed in May.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez cancelled plans to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos and visited the crash site, declaring three days of national mourning. 'It's a day of sorrow for all of Spain,' he said, vowing a full investigation. The regional president of Andalucía, Juan Manuel Moreno, offered condolences, saying: 'Our hearts are broken.'
