A major rail disaster in southern Spain has left at least seven people dead and around one hundred injured after two high-speed trains derailed on Sunday evening.
Details of the Derailment
The incident occurred near the town of Adamuz in the Cordoba province. According to reports from the state broadcaster RTVE, the Iryo 6189 service, which was travelling from Málaga to Madrid, derailed first. The train came off the tracks and crashed onto an adjacent line.
This initial derailment then caused a second train, operating on the Madrid to Huelva route, to also leave the rails. The catastrophic chain of events unfolded approximately ten minutes after the Iryo train departed Málaga at 6:40 p.m. local time.
Emergency Response and Casualties
Emergency services mounted a large-scale response, dispatching numerous vehicles and personnel to the scene. The casualty toll is severe, with seven fatalities confirmed and at least 100 passengers reported injured. Of those hurt, 25 are said to have sustained serious injuries.
The private rail operator Iryo, which is Italian-run, had not issued an official statement in the immediate aftermath. Meanwhile, Spain's rail infrastructure manager, Adif, announced the suspension of all rail services connecting the capital, Madrid, with the Andalusia region.
Ongoing Impact and Investigation
The suspension of services on a key national route is causing significant travel disruption. The focus remains on the rescue operation and caring for the injured, while authorities will soon begin the complex task of investigating the cause of the derailment.
This tragic accident, which took place on Sunday 18 January 2026, represents one of the most serious rail incidents in Spain in recent years, casting a shadow over the country's high-speed network.
