World News
21 Killed, 73 Injured as Two High-Speed Trains Collide Near Cordoba in Spain
At least 21 people were killed and dozens injured after two high-speed trains collided on Sunday evening in southern Spain, in one of the country’s deadliest rail accidents in recent years, authorities said.
At least 21 people were killed and dozens injured after two high-speed trains collided on Sunday evening in southern Spain, in one of the country’s deadliest rail accidents in recent years, authorities said.
The accident occurred around 7:45 pm local time near Cordoba when the rear section of a high-speed train travelling from Malaga to Madrid derailed, crossed onto the opposite track and slammed into an oncoming train heading from Madrid to Huelva. The Malaga-Madrid train was carrying around 300 passengers, while the second train had approximately 200 passengers on board, according to rail infrastructure operator ADIF.
Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente confirmed after midnight that 21 deaths had been verified and that rescue teams had removed all survivors from the wreckage. He cautioned, however, that the final toll could still rise as identification efforts continued.
Puente described the crash as “truly strange,” noting that it occurred on a flat section of track that had been renovated just last May. He added that the derailed train, operated by private rail company Iryo, was less than four years old. The second train involved belonged to Spain’s state-run rail operator Renfe.
According to officials, the rear of the Iryo train derailed and struck the front of the Renfe train, knocking its first two carriages off the track and down a four-metre slope. The front section of the Renfe train sustained the most severe damage.
Iryo said in a statement that it “deeply lamented what has happened” and was cooperating fully with authorities. Puente said an investigation into the cause of the accident could take up to a month.
Andalusia’s regional health chief Antonio Sanz said 73 injured passengers were taken to six different hospitals. Firefighter chief Francisco Carmona told Spanish national radio RNE that at least four carriages were derailed and badly mangled.
Journalist Salvador Jimenez, who was aboard one of the trains, told public broadcaster RTVE that the impact felt “like an earthquake.” Passengers used emergency hammers to break windows and escape, with videos showing people crawling out of tilted carriages in the darkness.
The crash site was in a hard-to-access area, complicating rescue operations. Local residents brought blankets and water to help survivors, while Spain’s military emergency units, civil protection teams and the Red Cross joined the overnight rescue effort.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed condolences in a post on X, saying she was following the “terrible news” from Cordoba and that Spain was in her thoughts.
ADIF announced that train services between Madrid and several cities in Andalusia would remain suspended on Monday.
