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 Adamuz in Córdoba province when a high-speed Iryo train from Málaga to Madrid derailed and struck an oncoming Renfe train, according to Spain's rail infrastructure authority, Adif.
The Renfe train, travelling from Madrid to Huelva, also derailed and fell down a 4-metre slope. The two trains were carrying around 500 people in total. Emergency services reported that 122 people had been treated for injuries, with 48 still hospitalised on Monday morning.
Passengers described scenes of chaos and terror. One woman on the Iryo train said she was dragged out through a window by fellow passengers. Another passenger on the Renfe train told public broadcaster TVE: 'There were people screaming, their bags fell from the shelves.'
Firefighters worked through the night to rescue trapped passengers. Córdoba fire chief Paco Carmona said the Renfe carriages were badly damaged, making the operation difficult. 'We have to remove the bodies to reach anyone who is still alive,' he said.
Spain's transport minister, Óscar Puente, said the cause of the crash was not yet known, noting it was 'really strange' that a derailment occurred on a straight stretch of track that was renewed in May. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of mourning and vowed a full investigation.
Regional president Juan Manuel Moreno offered condolences, saying: 'Our hearts are broken.' The crash has been described as one of Spain's worst rail disasters in recent decades.
