Deadly crash near Córdoba triggers national emergency response
At least 39 people were killed after a high-speed train derailed and collided with another train in southern Spain on Monday evening, according to Spanish authorities. The accident occurred near Córdoba at around 7:45 p.m. local time, involving an evening service traveling from Malaga to Madrid with approximately 300 passengers on board.
Officials said the rear section of the Malaga to Madrid train left the tracks and slammed into a second train traveling from Madrid to Huelva. Spain’s Civil Guard confirmed early Monday that the national mass casualty response protocol had been activated, with forensic specialists deployed to help identify victims. The nationalities of those killed have not yet been confirmed.
Dozens injured as region mourns tragedy
Andalusia’s regional president, Juanma Moreno, said 75 passengers were taken to hospital, including 15 in very serious condition. Describing the region as “heartbroken,” Moreno praised emergency responders and local residents who assisted passengers in the chaotic aftermath of the collision.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez traveled to the town of Adamuz and promised a thorough and fully transparent investigation. Speaking at a news conference, he called the crash a moment of national grief and confirmed he would not attend the World Economic Forum in Davos in light of the tragedy.
Rail services suspended as investigation begins
Adif, the state-owned company that manages Spain’s rail infrastructure, said high-speed rail services between Madrid and several Andalusian cities were suspended following the accident. The cause of the crash remains unknown.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the incident as “truly strange,” noting that it occurred on a flat section of track that had been renovated in May. He said the derailed train was less than four years old and operated by private company Iryo, while the second train was run by state-owned Renfe.
Survivor accounts and scale of damage
Puente said the rear of the first train derailed before crashing into the front of the second train, forcing its first two carriages off the track and down a 13-foot slope. The most severe damage was concentrated at the front of the Renfe train.
Video verified by NBC News showed mangled train cars leaning on their sides as passengers attempted to escape through broken windows. Salvador Jiménez, a journalist traveling on one of the trains, said the impact felt like an earthquake and that passengers used emergency hammers to break windows and flee. Some were able to walk away with minor injuries.
Spain’s rail safety record under scrutiny
Spain operates the largest high-speed rail network in Europe, with more than 1,900 miles of track designed for trains traveling over 155 mph. The system is widely regarded as safe and affordable.
The country’s worst rail disaster this century occurred in 2013, when 80 people died after a train derailed in northwestern Spain while traveling at more than double the permitted speed. Investigators are now working to determine whether mechanical failure, human error, or other factors contributed to the latest crash.