As we reported earlier, a high-speed train accident in southern Spain had initially claimed 7 lives. Later on, we got the news the death toll had risen to 21 lives. Spanish authorities now confirm that at least 39 people have been killed, with dozens more injured, after these two trains collided and derailed near the town of Adamuz in Córdoba province on Sunday night.
New details released by rail operator Iryo show that around 300 people were onboard the Málaga-Madrid train when it derailed at about 7.40pm, crossing on to an adjacent track and colliding with an oncoming Renfe service. The second train was forced off the tracks and down an embankment, leaving several carriages severely crushed.
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Emergency services in Andalucía said 122 people were treated for injuries, while 48 remained in hospital on Monday morning. Firefighters said rescue efforts were slowed by twisted metal and overturned carriages, with some passengers still trapped hours after the crash.
"We have to remove bodies to reach anyone who may still be alive," Córdoba fire chief Paco Carmona says. Rail services between Madrid and Andalucía remain suspended as investigators work to determine the cause of the crash, one of the deadliest rail disasters Spain has seen in more than a decade.
Pedro Sánchez on X: "Tonight is a night of deep pain for our country due to the tragic railway accident in Adamuz. I want to express my most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. No words can alleviate such immense suffering, but I want them to know that the entire country stands with them in this extremely difficult moment. All emergency services are working in a coordinated manner without rest."
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Spain experienced its deadliest rail disaster of the century in July 2013, when a train, operating at a speed of 111mph (179km/h), went off the rails on a section of track that had a speed limit of 50mph in the northwestern area of Galicia, resulting in the loss of 80 lives.