At least 21 people died and over 70 were injured when two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening, with officials warning the toll may climb overnight.
Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente said more than 30 people were being treated in hospital for serious injuries. Andalusian emergency services reported at least 73 people were hurt in total.
The crash occurred near the town of Adamuz, close to the city of Cordoba, when a high-speed train travelling from Malaga to Madrid derailed and crossed onto another track before colliding with an oncoming train from Madrid to Huelva, rail network operator Adif said.
Puente described the incident as “extremely strange”, noting the derailment happened on a straight stretch of track that was refurbished in May last year. The cause of the accident is not yet known and an investigation is expected to take at least a month.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain would endure a “night of deep pain” following the disaster.
Private operator Iryo said about 300 passengers were on board the Malaga to Madrid service, while the Madrid to Huelva train, operated by Renfe, had around 100 passengers.
The mayor of Adamuz, Rafael Moreno, who was among the first at the scene, described the crash as “a nightmare”. Emergency crews said twisted wreckage made rescue operations difficult.
All rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended after the accident and will remain closed on Monday. Adif said it had opened support centres for relatives at major stations including Atocha, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga and Huelva.
The Spanish Red Cross deployed emergency teams to the site and offered counselling to families. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia expressed their condolences, while French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also offered messages of sympathy.
Spain’s worst high-speed train disaster occurred in 2013 in Galicia, where 80 people were killed and 140 injured.
