The death toll from a catastrophic high-speed train crash in southern Spain has risen to at least 39, with scores more injured, after a derailment led to a head-on collision on Sunday, 18 January 2026.
A Night of 'Deep Pain' for Spain
Emergency services worked through the night following the horrific incident near the town of Adamuz, close to Córdoba in the Andalucía region. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, described the evening as one of 'deep pain for our country' and offered his condolences to the families of the victims.
The accident occurred when an Iryo high-speed train, travelling from Málaga to Madrid and less than four years old, derailed. It then collided head-on with an oncoming train operated by the public company Renfe, which was on its route from Madrid to Huelva. It is believed around 500 passengers were on the two trains at the time.
Investigation Launched into 'Extremely Strange' Accident
Spain's Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, confirmed that 75 people have been hospitalised, with 15 of those in a critical or serious condition. He stated that the first two carriages of the Alvia train derailed, causing most of the fatalities and injuries.
Minister Puente admitted that railway experts are 'extremely baffled by the accident', calling it 'extremely strange'. An official investigation has been launched to determine the cause. The regional health minister reported that at least one passenger carriage had rolled down a 13-foot (approximately 4-metre) slope.
Chief firefighter of Córdoba, Francisco Carmona, described one of the trains as 'badly mangled', with at least four wagons off the rails.
National Mourning and Service Disruption
The Spanish Royal Family issued a statement expressing their 'deepest condolences' to the families of the deceased and wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured. In response to the tragedy, high-speed train services have been suspended on Monday, 19 January on key routes between Madrid and Córdoba, Sevilla, Málaga, Granada, and Huelva.
Prime Minister Sánchez assured the public that all emergency services were working in a coordinated manner, adding: 'No words can alleviate such immense suffering, but I want them to know that the entire country stands with them.'
