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Thirty-nine people have died and 75 others were taken to hospital after a collision between two trains in southern Spain on Sunday, an incident Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described as “a night of profound pain” for the nation.
According to Spain’s rail infrastructure manager Adif, a high-speed Iryo train travelling from Málaga to Madrid derailed near the town of Adamuz and crossed onto the opposite track, where it struck another train coming in the opposite direction. The second train was also derailed and fell down an embankment.
Adif said the crash occurred roughly 10 minutes after the Iryo train departed Málaga at 6.40pm local time (17.40 GMT). On Monday, Spain’s interior ministry confirmed the death toll had increased to 39.
Of the 75 people hospitalised, 15 were reported to be in serious condition, according to Juanma Moreno, head of Andalucía’s regional government.
“There are many injured – I’m still shaking,” said 33-year-old passenger Maria San José, who was travelling on the first train, speaking to El Pais. Another witness told public broadcaster RTVE that one carriage of the Iryo train had completely overturned.
A passenger on the second train, which was travelling from Madrid to Huelva, told TVE that people were screaming as luggage fell from overhead racks. “I was in the fourth carriage, the last one – luckily,” the passenger said.
El Pais reported that the Renfe-operated train was travelling at around 200kmh (124mph) at the time of the collision, though the speed of the Iryo train was not yet known.
Television footage showed emergency services, including firefighters and medical teams, working at the scene. Córdoba fire chief Paco Carmona said the Iryo train was evacuated within hours, but the Renfe carriages were severely damaged, with twisted metal and crushed seats.
“There are still people trapped,” Carmona told TVE. “The rescue effort is focused on freeing people from very tight spaces. We must remove bodies to reach anyone who may still be alive, which makes the operation extremely difficult.”
Spain’s transport minister, Óscar Puente, said the cause of the accident had not yet been determined. He described it as “very unusual” for a derailment to occur on a straight section of track, noting that the line had been renovated in May. Puente added that most of the fatalities and injuries were in the first two carriages of the second train.
Sánchez cancelled his scheduled engagements for Monday to deal with the aftermath of the disaster, while a palace spokesperson said the king and queen were closely monitoring developments.
A journalist travelling on one of the trains told public broadcaster RNE that the impact felt “like an earthquake.” Passengers reportedly used emergency hammers to break windows and escape.
Carmen, a passenger on the Málaga-to-Madrid train, wrote on X that the train began shaking violently shortly after leaving Córdoba before derailing behind her carriage, causing the lights to go out.
Video shared on social media showed an Iryo staff member instructing passengers to remain seated in darkened carriages and asking those with first-aid knowledge to assist others. Passengers were told evacuation would take place once it was safe and advised to conserve phone batteries for use as torches.
Another passenger wrote on X: “Our carriage is okay, but we don’t know about the others. There’s smoke, and they’re asking for a doctor.”
Spanish media estimated that about 400 people were travelling on the two trains combined.
Local TV footage showed a temporary reception centre set up in Adamuz, a town of around 5,000 residents, where locals brought food and blankets as overnight temperatures dropped to about 6C (42F).
Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso said hospitals in her region were ready to assist Andalucía if needed.
Iryo, the Italian-operated private rail company, did not immediately comment. Adif has suspended all train services between Madrid and Andalucía.
Reuters contributed to the report.
