Authorities in Spain fear the death toll from a catastrophic high-speed train collision will climb further as cranes begin the delicate task of moving the wreckage. The incident, which occurred on Sunday in the province of Cordoba, has already claimed at least 41 lives after another body was recovered overnight.
Recovery Efforts and Rising Casualty Figures
Emergency services remain at the scene near the town of Adamuz, approximately 230 miles south of Madrid. Spain's Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, confirmed that at least three deceased individuals are still visible and trapped within the debris. Police have also told Sky News that 43 people are officially listed as missing, based on reports from concerned families, a figure that mirrors the provisional number of victims.
In addition to the fatalities, at least 159 people were injured in the collision. Health authorities stated that by Tuesday morning, 39 victims remained in hospital, while 83 had been treated and discharged. Sky News Europe correspondent Alistair Bunkall, reporting from the site, said more bodies were anticipated to be found as cranes moved at least one of the carriages on Tuesday.
A 'Truly Strange' and Devastating Collision
The crash involved two trains travelling at speeds around 130mph. The end of a service from Malaga to Madrid derailed and crossed onto the opposite track, where it was struck by a train travelling from the Spanish capital to Huelva in Andalusia. The impact was so severe it knocked the first two carriages of the second train off the rails and down a 4-metre slope.
El Pais newspaper reported that the 27-year-old driver of one train was among those killed. While a source suggested to Reuters that a faulty rail joint was a potential cause, authorities have expressed bewilderment. Correspondent Bunkall noted they seem "totally baffled as to why the first train derailed." Spain's transport minister, Oscar Puente, described the crash as "truly strange," given it happened on a flat stretch of track that had been upgraded expensively in May, despite prior union complaints about wear and tear.
Fernandez Heredia, the head of Spain's national railway company Renfe, has ruled out human error as a factor at this stage.
Survivors' Harrowing Tales of Escape
Dramatic footage from the scene showed passengers climbing out of smashed windows to escape the mangled carriages. Survivors have recounted split-second decisions that may have saved their lives.
Lola Beltran told Spanish broadcaster TVE she had moved seats from one of the worst-affected carriages to sit with a colleague just moments before the collision. Another passenger, 23-year-old Bianca Birleanu, travelling to Huelva, described the terrifying moment to El Pais: "We felt the first jolt and, in a fraction of a second, another very strong one. The table in front of our seat fell on top of us, the lights went out, and the carriage roof collapsed."
King Felipe and Queen Letizia are due to visit the rural crash site on Tuesday, following a visit by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The tragedy has shocked a nation with one of the best rail safety records in the European Union. According to the European Commission, Spain recorded 18 rail fatalities in 2024. This incident now stands as the deadliest Spanish railway accident since the Santiago de Compostela derailment in July 2013, which killed 79 people.
