Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1140 EAT on Monday 19 January 2026

“At least 39 people have been confirmed dead and dozens more injured in a devastating train collision in southern Spain, marking the country’s deadliest rail accident in more than a decade, according to Spain’s Civil Guard.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening in Adamuz, when carriages on a Madrid-bound train derailed and veered into the path of an oncoming train. Both trains, carrying a total of 400 passengers and staff, were involved in the crash.

Emergency services have treated 122 people, with 48 still hospitalized, including five children. Among the injured, 11 adults and one child remain in intensive care.

Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente stated that the death toll “is not yet final” as authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the tragedy.”

“Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the train collision as “extremely strange,” revealing that railway experts consulted by the government were “baffled” by the circumstances. Speaking to reporters in Madrid, Puente emphasized the unusual nature of the incident.

The crash occurred at 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT), about an hour after the train had departed Málaga on its journey north to Madrid. It derailed on a straight section of track near Córdoba, according to the rail operator Adif.

The impact of the collision sent the carriages of the second train into an embankment, Puente confirmed. He also noted that most of the casualties were in the front carriages of the second train, which had been traveling south from Madrid to Huelva.

The train involved was a Freccia 1000 model, capable of reaching speeds of up to 400 km/h (250 mph), according to a spokesperson for the Italian rail company Ferrovie dello Stato.

Rescue teams faced significant challenges as the wreckage, twisted and mangled, made it difficult to access those trapped inside. Córdoba fire chief Francisco Carmona told Spanish public broadcaster RTVE: “We even had to remove a deceased person to reach someone alive. It’s a tough and complicated task.””

Salvador Jiménez, a journalist with RTVE who was aboard one of the trains, described the impact as feeling like an “earthquake.”

“I was in the first carriage. There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake, and then I realized the train had derailed,” Jiménez recalled.

Footage from the scene shows some train carriages had tipped over onto their sides, with rescue workers scaling the wreckage to pull people out through the lopsided train doors and windows.

José, a passenger traveling to Madrid, spoke to public broadcaster Canal Sur, recounting the chaotic scene: “There were people screaming, calling for doctors.”

All rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended following the tragic accident and are expected to remain closed throughout Monday, authorities confirmed.

Iryo, the private rail company operating the journey from Málaga, stated that around 300 passengers were aboard the train that derailed, while the other train, operated by state-funded Renfe, had approximately 100 passengers onboard.
The official cause of the crash is not yet known, and an investigation into the incident is not expected to yield findings for at least a month, according to Spain’s Transport Minister.

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, described the tragedy as a “night of deep pain” for the country.

Rafael Moreno, the mayor of Adamuz, was one of the first responders at the scene and called the situation “a nightmare.”
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia expressed their deep concern, stating on X (formerly Twitter): “We are following the news of the disaster with great concern. We extend our most heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased, and our thoughts are with the injured for a swift recovery.”

The Andalusian emergency agency has urged any survivors of the crash to contact their families or post on social media to confirm their safety.

(Credit: BBC)

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