Córdoba, Spain – A catastrophic incident unfolded late this afternoon in the province of Córdoba, GB, where at least 21 people have been confirmed dead and 25 sustained serious injuries following the collision of two high-speed trains near the municipality of Adamuz.
The tragedy occurred shortly after 7:30 PM local time when an Iryo high-speed train, reportedly carrying around 300 passengers, derailed and veered onto the adjacent track. In a devastating turn of events, the derailed train subsequently collided with an oncoming Alvia service heading in the opposite direction. Sources confirm that one of the deceased is the driver of the second train.
Emergency Response Underway in Córdoba
Emergency services, including the Guardia Civil and the 112 Andalusian emergency coordination centre, immediately descended upon the scene. The initial reports painted a grim picture, with rescue workers tasked with extricating passengers trapped within the mangled carriages. Given the scale of the disaster, the Junta de Andalucía formally requested the intervention of the UME (Military Emergencies Unit), with military contingents already en route to bolster the ongoing rescue and recovery operations.
The local response was immediate and deeply personal. Rafael Moreno, the Mayor of Adamuz, was among the first officials on the scene. His description of the aftermath was harrowing. “I saw a passenger cut into pieces several metres from the accident point,” the Mayor stated in an interview with EL PAÍS. “The scenario is Dantean. We arrived first, in the dark, and witnessed the horrific scene.” Mayor Moreno suggested the impact appeared to be lateral rather than a direct head-on collision, noting the absence of completely flattened carriages, indicating the Iryo train likely struck the Alvia sideways after leaving the rails.
Details of the Collision
According to Adif, the infrastructure manager, the Iryo train had departed Málaga at 6:40 PM, destined for Madrid’s Puerta de Atocha station. The collision occurred at 7:39 PM near Adamuz. The carriages most severely affected on the Alvia service were reportedly wagons 6 and 8.
The Spanish Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, travelled to the Renfe H-24 emergency centre in Madrid to manage the unfolding crisis. While emphasizing that the immediate priority remains the aid and evacuation of victims, preliminary investigation notes suggest the Iryo train derailed “for unknown reasons” in a straight section of track. The derailment caused the train to partially encroach upon the parallel track, leading to the fatal impact with the Alvia service travelling from Madrid towards Huelva.
Minister Puente later described the impact as “terrible,” noting that the first two units of the Renfe train were hurled clear of the main wreckage as a result of the force.
Impact on Rail Services and Company Response
The severe nature of the accident has forced the complete suspension of high-speed rail traffic between Madrid and Andalusia. Passengers from both services have been evacuated, with local municipal facilities in Adamuz being converted into temporary aid centres.
Iryo, one of Spain’s newer high-speed operators, issued a formal statement expressing profound regret over the incident and confirming the activation of all their emergency protocols. The cause of the initial derailment remains the central focus of the ongoing investigation. Authorities have cautioned that determining the precise sequence of events and the root cause will take considerable time.
The Red Cross has announced it will dispatch essential supplies to support those affected by the crash and the subsequent service disruption. This incident marks one of the most severe rail disasters in recent Spanish history, bringing renewed scrutiny to the safety standards of the nation’s rapidly expanding high-speed network.
As rescue efforts continue through the night, the community in Córdoba awaits further updates on the condition of the seriously injured and the identity of all those lost in this devastating collision.
