High-Speed Train Collision in Southern Spain Kills 21, Injures Over 70

High-Speed Train Collision in Southern Spain Kills 21, Injures Over 70

Spain was plunged into grief on Monday after a devastating collision between two high-speed trains in the southern region of Andalusia left at least 21 people dead and more than 70 injured, prompting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to describe it as a “night of deep pain” for the nation.

The tragedy unfolded on Sunday evening near the town of Adamuz, when a Malaga–Madrid service derailed and veered onto an adjacent track, crashing head-on into an oncoming train bound for Huelva. Both trains derailed on impact, according to rail network operator Adif.

Police confirmed the death toll at 21, while Andalusia’s emergency coordinator Antonio Sanz said at least 73 people were injured, warning that the number of fatalities could rise as rescue operations continued through the night. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said around 30 passengers were hospitalised in serious condition, adding that all injured individuals had been evacuated from the site.

Puente noted that the accident occurred on a straight, fully renovated stretch of track and involved a nearly new train, calling the circumstances “extremely unusual.” Rail operator Iryo said roughly 300 passengers were travelling on the Malaga–Madrid service at the time.

Rescue efforts were severely hampered by the condition of the wreckage. Several carriages were mangled and twisted, some tumbling down a four-metre embankment. “The metal is crushed around the people inside,” Francisco Carmona, head of firefighters in Córdoba, told state broadcaster RTVE. “We even had to remove a body to reach someone alive. It’s very hard and delicate work.”

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Survivors recounted terrifying scenes. Montse, a passenger on the second train, told Spanish television that the train came to an abrupt halt and plunged into darkness. “People were thrown around, luggage was flying, children were crying. I was lucky to be in the last carriage—it feels like I was given a second chance,” she said. Another survivor, Lucas Meriako, described the aftermath as resembling “a horror movie,” recalling shattered glass and widespread injuries.

High-speed rail services connecting Madrid with Córdoba, Seville, Malaga and Huelva were suspended for at least Monday, Adif said. Support centres were set up at major stations to assist families of victims. The defence ministry also deployed military emergency units and vehicles to bolster rescue operations.

Expressing national solidarity, Prime Minister Sánchez said no words could ease the suffering caused by the tragedy, while King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia conveyed their condolences to bereaved families and wished the injured a swift recovery. Messages of sympathy also poured in from international leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Spain operates Europe’s largest high-speed rail network, spanning more than 3,000 kilometres. The country’s last major rail disaster occurred in 2013, when a derailment near Santiago de Compostela claimed 80 lives, marking one of the darkest chapters in its railway history.