A devastating train collision in southern Spain has left at least 39 people dead and 170 others injured, with authorities warning the death toll is likely to rise further.
The tragedy occurred on Sunday night, 18 January 2026, when two high-speed trains derailed and collided near the town of Adamuz in the Cordoba province.
The Moment of Impact: A Timeline of the Crash
According to Spain's railway infrastructure company ADIF, the crash happened at 7.45pm local time (6.45pm UK time). The incident began when an Iryo high-speed service, the 6189 travelling from Malaga to Madrid with approximately 300 passengers, derailed.
After leaving the tracks, the Iryo train jumped onto the adjacent line in the opposite direction. It then collided head-on with a second high-speed train operated by the public company Renfe, which was carrying around 200 passengers from Madrid to Huelva.
Spain's Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, explained that the rear section of the first train derailed and "slammed into the head of the other train". The impact was catastrophic for the Renfe service, knocking its first two carriages off the rails and down a four-metre slope.
Rescue Efforts and Rising Casualty Figures
The rescue operation has been complex and harrowing. While the Iryo train was evacuated within hours, the Renfe carriages were severely damaged, with twisted metal trapping passengers inside.
Paco Carmona, the Cordoba fire chief, described the scene, stating rescuers had to "remove the bodies to reach anyone who is still alive" and calling it a "complicated task".
Minister Puente has warned that the number of fatalities is "not final". As of Monday morning, Andalucian emergency services confirmed 122 injured patients had been treated, with 48 remaining in hospital. Among those hospitalised were five minors, one in intensive care, along with 11 adults. El Pais newspaper reported that the 27-year-old driver of the Madrid to Huelva train was among those killed.
Investigation Launched into 'Truly Strange' Derailment
The cause of the crash remains unknown, prompting a criminal probe by local prosecutors. Officials have expressed bewilderment, as the derailment happened on a straight, flat section of track that had been renovated in May 2025.
Minister Puente called it a "truly strange" incident. Fernandez Heredia, president of Renfe, noted that safety systems were active and both trains were travelling below the speed limit for that section. He suggested the cause could be related to "some issue with the rolling stock or the infrastructure".
Trenitalia, the Italian parent company of Iryo, confirmed the derailed train was last inspected just four days before the crash. The investigation is expected to take around a month.
All high-speed train traffic between Madrid and Andalusia has been suspended, affecting services to Cordoba, Seville, Malaga, Huelva, Cadiz, Algeciras, and Granada for at least the rest of Monday. ADIF, Renfe, and Iryo have established support centres at stations to assist victims' relatives.
