At least 24 people have been killed and scores more injured after a catastrophic collision involving two high-speed trains in southern Spain last night. The devastating accident occurred near the village of Adamuz in the province of Córdoba, plunging carriages down an embankment and creating a scene of "twisted wreckage" that rescue workers described as extremely challenging.
Timeline of a Tragedy
According to rail infrastructure operator Adif, the incident happened at precisely 7.45pm local time (1845 GMT) on Sunday evening. The chain of events began when an Iryo-operated high-speed service, travelling from Málaga to Madrid with approximately 300 passengers on board, derailed. This occurred roughly ten minutes after the train had departed from Córdoba station.
In a horrific secondary impact, the derailed train then collided with an oncoming service. This second train, operated by Spain's public rail company Renfe, was carrying around 200 passengers from Madrid to Huelva. Officials confirmed that the Renfe train bore the brunt of the collision force.
Complex Rescue and Evacuation Efforts
Throughout the night and into the early hours of Monday, emergency services conducted a large-scale search and rescue operation. The situation was described as "very complex" by regional health and emergencies minister Antonio Sanz, with access to some carriages severely hampered. Three carriages plunged down a four-metre embankment, further complicating efforts to reach survivors.
Francisco Carmona, director of the Córdoba Fire Consortium, gave a harrowing account from the scene, stating that fire crews were forced to sift through the deceased to reach those still trapped but alive. Specialist teams, including additional firefighters, paramedics, forensic scientists, and psychologists, were drafted in from surrounding regions to assist with the mass casualty event.
In the early hours of Monday, Iryo issued a major update on the evacuation process via social media platform X. A spokesperson confirmed: "The evacuation of all passengers on service 6189 has now been completed. The injured persons are being treated at hospital centres and the remaining passengers have been transferred in accordance with the instructions of the local authorities." The company provided a helpline for affected passengers: 900 001 402.
Casualty Figures and Ongoing Investigation
The current casualty toll stands at at least 24 fatalities. In addition, 15 people are reported to be critically injured, 30 have serious injuries, and approximately 170 sustained minor injuries. Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of people who may still be missing as recovery operations continue.
The cause of the initial derailment and subsequent crash remains unknown and is under urgent investigation. Spain's Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, labelled the incident "a truly strange" occurrence, noting it happened on a flat stretch of track that had been renovated as recently as May 2025.
As a direct consequence of the accident, all high-speed train traffic between Madrid and the Andalusia region has been suspended until at least Tuesday. The nation is now grappling with one of its worst rail disasters in recent years as the full scale of the tragedy becomes clear.
