On Monday, Spanish police confirmed that at least 39 individuals lost their lives in a high-speed train accident that occurred in the south of the country the previous night.
Rescue operations are ongoing, and sadly, the death toll may rise. Juanma Moreno, the president of the Andalusia region, mentioned that some bodies were located hundreds of meters away from where the crash happened.
The incident took place at 7:45 PM on Sunday, when the rear of a train carrying 289 passengers from Malaga to Madrid derailed. This train collided with another train traveling from Madrid to Huelva, a city in southern Spain, according to train operator Adif.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente explained that the first car of the second train, which had nearly 200 passengers aboard, bore the brunt of the collision. The impact caused the first two cars to derail and tumble 4 meters (approximately 13 feet) down an incline, which seems to be where most fatalities occurred.
Authorities reported that all survivors had been rescued early Monday, but efforts to retrieve and identify the deceased are still underway.
Moreno stated in the morning that emergency services were still actively searching. “Looking at the twisted metal, it’s likely that we may discover more victims. The rescue teams are doing commendable work, but as they lift the wreckage, there’s a real chance they’ll find more bodies,” he said. “Standing here, witnessing the wreckage, really emphasizes the severity of the impact.”
Moreno noted that the violence of the collision resulted in bodies being discovered far from the crash site.
Families of those missing took to social media, seeking information about their loved ones.
The Civil Guard has set up an office in Cordoba, which is closest to the crash scene, enabling families to provide DNA samples for identification purposes.
Videos and photos that surfaced late Sunday showed mangled train cars illuminated by floodlights.
Salvador Jiménez, a reporter from RTVE who was aboard one of the affected trains, recounted that passengers had to crawl through shattered windows and some used emergency tools to break them. “There was a sudden jolt, and then the train derailed,” he described during a phone call on Sunday.
As reported, at least 159 individuals sustained injuries, including 11 adults and one child in critical condition as of Monday.
The crash occurred near Adams, which lies about 370 kilometers (230 miles) south of Madrid.
In Adams, a sports facility has been converted into a temporary hospital, while the Spanish Red Cross established a center to assist those seeking emergency services and information. Civil Guard and Civil Defense teams worked tirelessly at the scene throughout the night.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his condolences to the victims’ families, stating, “It’s a night of profound sorrow for our nation,” in a message shared on X.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the site of the accident on Monday, according to his office.
Officials Describe Accident as ‘Bizarre’
Transport Minister Puente remarked early Monday that the cause of the crash is yet to be determined. He described the incident as “really bizarre” since it happened on a train that was remodeled just last May.
The train in question, operated by Iryo, collided with another that was part of the Spanish public railway company Renfe. Puente clarified that both trains had been traveling below the 250 km/h speed limit, stating that one was going at 205 km/h and the other at 210 km/h. “We can rule out human error,” he added.
Renfe’s president, Alvaro Fernández, indicated that the incident is likely linked to Iryo’s equipment or infrastructure.
In a Monday statement, Iryo noted that their trains, manufactured in 2022, had passed the latest safety inspection just days before on January 15. They pledged full cooperation with the official investigation into what transpired.
On Monday, train services between Madrid and various Andalusian cities were halted.
Spain’s High-Speed Rail Network
Spain has heavily invested in high-speed rail over the decades, now featuring the largest network in Europe with trains that regularly exceed 250 kilometers (155 miles) per hour. This network comprises over 3,100 kilometers (1,900 miles) of tracks and remains a popular and safe travel option. Renfe is anticipating that over 25 million passengers will utilize its high-speed trains in 2024.
This tragic event marks the first fatal incident on Spain’s high-speed rail network since its inception in 1992.
Spain’s worst rail disaster in recent memory occurred in 2013, with a train derailment in the northwest resulting in 80 fatalities. Investigators concluded that the train was traveling at 179 km/h (111 mph) in a zone with a restricted speed limit of 80 km/h (50 mph) at the time of the accident.
