A head-on train collision in southern Spain killed at least 39 people on Sunday and injured dozens more, authorities said, in the country’s deadliest rail disaster in more than ten years.
The crash occurred when a passenger train traveling north toward Madrid derailed near Adamuz, in the province of Córdoba, crossed onto the opposite track and struck another train heading south toward Huelva, according to Spain’s Civil Guard and rail operator Adif. The collision took place at about 7:45 p.m. local time, roughly an hour after the northbound train departed Málaga.
Emergency responders treated 122 people at the scene. Officials said 75 people were hospitalized, including five children, with 15 patients listed in serious condition. Eleven adults and one child were receiving intensive care.
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Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the impact forced several carriages of the southbound train down an embankment. He described the crash as “extremely strange,” adding that railway specialists consulted by the government had been unable to explain how the derailment occurred. Most of the fatalities and severe injuries were in the front cars of the second train, he said.
Rail operators said approximately 400 passengers and crew members were aboard the two trains. Private operator Iryo said about 300 people were on the train that derailed, while state-owned Renfe said the other train was carrying roughly 100 passengers.
The derailed train was a Freccia 1000 high-speed model capable of reaching speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour, according to Italian rail company Ferrovie dello Stato.
Rescue efforts were slowed by heavily damaged carriages. Córdoba fire chief Francisco Carmona told public broadcaster RTVE that responders were forced to remove dead bodies to reach trapped survivors.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the country was facing a “night of deep pain.” Rail traffic between Madrid and Andalusia was suspended, and officials said services were expected to remain closed throughout Monday. Authorities said determining the cause of the crash could take at least a month.