A six-year-old girl has been left orphaned following a devastating high-speed train collision in Spain that claimed the lives of at least 39 people, including her entire immediate family.
A Family Outing Ends in Tragedy
The catastrophic incident occurred on the evening of January 18, 2026, near the town of Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, approximately 230 miles south of Madrid. The Zamorano Alvarez family were returning to their home in Huelva after a special trip to the capital.
Jose Zamorano, his wife Cristina Alvarez – a shop owner – their 12-year-old son Pepe, their six-year-old daughter, and their cousin Felix Zamorano had been enjoying a weekend seeing the Lion King musical and watching Real Madrid beat Levante at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Their journey home ended in disaster at 7.45pm local time (6.45pm GMT) when the tail end of a train carrying 300 passengers on the Malaga to Madrid route derailed and slammed into the oncoming service carrying the family.
The Search for Survivors and a Community in Mourning
In the chaotic aftermath, family and friends launched desperate appeals for information about the missing relatives. Initial confusion led to reports that the 12-year-old son, Pepe, had survived, but the Mayor of Punta Umbria, Jose Carlos Hernandez Casino, later confirmed the boy had also perished.
The unnamed six-year-old girl, who suffered only minor injuries requiring three stitches to a head wound, was cared for overnight by a police officer. She is now with her grandmother in a hotel in Cordoba. It remains unclear if she fully comprehends the loss of her parents, brother, and cousin.
Spanish authorities confirmed that 159 people were injured in the crash, with five in critical condition and a further 24 seriously hurt. Transport Minister Oscar Puente stated the death toll was not yet final.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared three days of national mourning, stating, “Today is a day of pain for all of Spain.” The town of Punta Umbria also declared three days of official mourning, with flags flying at half-mast on municipal buildings.
Investigations and Tributes to the Victims
The cause of the crash on a recently renovated, flat stretch of track is under investigation. Alvaro Fernandez, president of rail operator Renfe, stated both trains were well under the 250kph speed limit, travelling at 205kph and 210kph respectively, and that initial indications ruled out human error. Minister Puente described the incident as “a truly strange” occurrence.
Among the other victims were journalist Oscar Toro and his photojournalist wife, Maria Clauss. Tributes poured in for the couple, described as people of “extraordinary human quality” by Jaime de Vicente Nunez of the Iberoamerican Cultural Association.
Friend Gabriel Cruz wrote in a heartfelt tribute: “Incredulous and stunned. A tragedy that devastates us… With them, a little piece of ourselves is gone.”
Emergency services, supported by local residents, worked through the night at the scene. A sports centre was converted into a makeshift hospital, and the Spanish Red Cross established a help centre for affected families and passengers.
