High-speed horror unfolded in southern Spain overnight, as a catastrophic train collision near Adamuz left at least 39 people dead and more than 150 others injured in scenes described by officials as chaotic and heartbreaking.
The deadly crash happened late Sunday when a high-speed passenger train traveling from Málaga to Madrid suddenly derailed, crossed onto an adjacent track, and smashed head-on into another train coming from Madrid to Huelva. Twisted metal, crushed rail cars, and debris were scattered across the tracks as screams for help echoed through the darkness.
Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente confirmed early Monday that the death toll had surged from earlier reports and warned it could still rise as rescuers continue their grim search.
“This is an extremely painful moment,” Puente said, calling the crash “extremely strange” and difficult to explain.
More than 300 passengers were aboard the train that first derailed, operated by Iryo, which said it had activated all emergency protocols and was working closely with authorities. At least 75 injured passengers were rushed to hospitals, with several fighting for their lives in critical condition.
Emergency crews worked through the night, cutting through wreckage and crawling into mangled cars to reach survivors trapped inside. Images from the scene showed crushed train compartments and first responders moving stretchers under harsh floodlights as families anxiously awaited news.
Adding to the shock, officials said the crash occurred on a straight stretch of track that had recently undergone major renovations, completed just months ago. The train involved was also described as relatively new — raising urgent questions about what went so terribly wrong.
Rail service between Madrid and the Andalusia region has been completely suspended as investigators begin probing the cause of the derailment and collision.
For now, Spain is mourning — as the nation wakes up to one of its deadliest rail disasters in years, and families brace for answers that may take time to come.
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