BREAKING: At Least 21 Dead in Catastrophic High-Speed Train Collision Near Córdoba, Spain

CORDOBA, Spain – In a devastating rail accident, at least 21 people have been killed and dozens more injured after two high-speed trains collided near the town of Adamuz, in the province of Córdoba, on Wednesday evening. The crash has thrown Spain’s premier rail network into chaos and prompted a massive overnight rescue operation.

The Collision
The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. local time on the Madrid-Andalusia high-speed line. According to preliminary reports from rail authorities, an Iryo train—a private operator—carrying approximately 300 passengers from Málaga to Madrid veered off its track and crossed into the adjacent line. There, it collided with an oncoming AVE high-speed train, operated by the state-run company Renfe, on the Madrid-Huelva route.

The force of the impact derailed multiple carriages. Footage from the scene and passenger accounts depict a scene of severe devastation, with several carriages crumpled and one reported to have “completely overturned.”

Chaos and Rescue from Inside
Passengers trapped in the wreckage used social media to share harrowing real-time accounts and images. Many described the moment of impact as feeling “like an earthquake.”

“We left Málaga on time… There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake and the train had indeed derailed,” said Salvador Jiménez, a journalist for Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE who was aboard the Iryo train. “They called immediately to see if there were people in the health service who could help, they took hammers to break the windows and in the end they evacuated us.”

With exits blocked, passengers and crew were forced to smash windows to escape, leading to additional injuries from cuts and glass. Several survivors reported seeing smoke inside the carriages and called for urgent medical assistance for the wounded.

Massive Emergency Response
A major emergency operation was immediately activated. ADIF, Spain’s railway infrastructure manager, confirmed the deployment of numerous emergency service teams, including firefighters, medical personnel, and police, who worked through the night alongside officials from Renfe and Iryo.

The Spanish Red Cross mobilized a medical ambulance from Córdoba and three additional ambulances from Jaén, alongside teams providing basic necessities and psychological support to traumatized passengers.

National Reaction and Service Suspension
In response to the disaster, ADIF has suspended all train services between Madrid and Andalusia until further notice, causing widespread disruption along one of the country’s busiest rail corridors.

Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente traveled to the ADIF Operations Control Centre, stating on social media platform X that he was closely monitoring the situation. “I will keep you informed here of the news that is confirmed,” he wrote.

Offers of support poured in from across the nation. Isabel Díaz Ayuso, President of the Community of Madrid, announced that the capital’s hospitals and emergency teams were on standby to receive the injured. “Support teams will be deployed in Atocha [Madrid’s main train station] to accompany the relatives,” she stated.

Investigation Launched
While the immediate focus remains on victim care and recovery, authorities have begun the preliminary stages of an investigation to determine the cause of the derailment and subsequent collision. This tragedy marks one of the deadliest rail accidents in Spain in recent decades, casting a shadow over the country’s widely respected high-speed rail system.

This is a developing story. Further updates on casualty figures, the cause of the accident, and restoration of services are expected throughout the day.

 

 

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