At least 39 dead in Spain after two high-speed trains collide
A drone view shows emergency services at work at the site of a deadly train derailment, after a high-speed train derailed and collided with another oncoming train near Adamuz, in Cordoba province, Spain, January 19, 2026. PHOTO | COURTESY
Adamuz. At least 39 people were killed and more than 120 injured after a high-speed passenger train derailed and collided with another train in southern Spain on Sunday night, in the country’s worst rail disaster since 2013.
The accident occurred at about 7.45pm near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, roughly 360 kilometres south of Madrid, emergency services said.
A total of 122 people were injured, with 48 still in hospital and 12 in intensive care.
Drone footage released by Reuters showed twisted carriages lying on their sides under floodlights, while passengers were seen climbing out of smashed windows and others being carried away on stretchers.
Spain’s Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, said on Monday that the death toll could rise.
> “The death toll has risen to 39 and is not yet definitive. I want to express my gratitude for the work of the rescue teams overnight and my condolences to the victims and their families,” he said in a post on X.
There were about 400 passengers on the two trains, operated by Iryo and Alvia, according to state-owned rail operator Renfe. Most were Spaniards travelling to and from Madrid after the weekend, although it was unclear how many foreign travellers were on board.
The Iryo train was travelling from Malaga to Madrid, while the second train was heading towards Huelva and was moving at about 200 kilometres per hour at the time of the collision, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported.
The crash is the deadliest rail accident in Spain since 2013, when a train derailed in Santiago de Compostela, killing 80 people.
Services disrupted
More than 200 train services between Madrid and the southern Andalusia region, including Cordoba, Seville and Granada, were cancelled on Monday, according to public broadcaster RTVE.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez cancelled his engagements for the day following the tragedy, his office said.
The cause of the crash has not yet been established.
Spain has Europe’s largest high-speed rail network, stretching over 3,622 kilometres, second only to China globally. The network has faced criticism in recent years over service delays linked to power outages and cable theft.
Spain opened its rail network to private competition in 2020 to introduce cheaper travel options. Iryo is a joint venture involving Italian and Spanish investors, while Alvia is operated by Renfe.
