At least seven people have been killed and around 100 injured after two high-speed trains derailed in southern Spain on Wednesday evening, in a major rail accident that has shocked the country.
The Scene of the Accident
The collision occurred near the town of Adamuz in the province of Córdoba, Andalucía. According to the Spanish rail network operator, Adif, the incident began when the Iryo 6189 service from Málaga to Madrid derailed from its track at approximately 17:40 GMT (18:40 local time), just ten minutes after departure.
The force of the derailment caused the train to crash onto an adjacent line. Tragically, a second high-speed train, the Madrid to Huelva service, which was travelling on that adjacent track, was also derailed in the impact.
Emergency Response and Casualties
Emergency services rushed to the scene following the double derailment. Spain's state-owned broadcaster, RTVE, citing civil guard sources, reported the significant casualty figures, noting that 25 of the approximately 100 injured were in a serious condition.
Andalucía's emergency services confirmed they had mobilised extensive resources, including at least nine ambulances and other support vehicles. All rail traffic on the key route between Madrid and Andalucía was immediately suspended by Adif.
Salvador Jiménez, a journalist for RTVE who was on board a separate train from Córdoba to Madrid, shared images from the scene. His photographs showed the rear carriage of one train lying on its side, with evacuated passengers sitting beside the wreckage awaiting assistance.
Ongoing Investigation and Impact
The cause of the initial derailment is not yet known and will be the subject of a major investigation. Iryo, the Italian-run private operator of the Málaga-Madrid service, did not immediately provide comment following the accident.
The disruption to Spain's high-speed rail network is expected to be severe and prolonged. Adif's suspension of all services on the Madrid-Andalucía line will affect thousands of passengers, with no immediate indication of when it might resume.
This tragic event marks one of the most serious accidents on Spain's modern high-speed rail network in recent years, raising urgent questions about safety protocols and infrastructure on this busy corridor.
