A devastating train crash in southern Spain has left at least 24 people dead and more than 100 injured, with authorities warning the death toll is likely to rise. The accident involved two trains, one of which derailed at high speed near the town of Adamuz, close to Córdoba.
The Moment of Impact and Immediate Aftermath
The horror unfolded on Sunday evening, January 18, at approximately 7:45 PM local time. A high-speed Iryo service travelling from Malaga to Madrid derailed just ten minutes after departing Córdoba. A second train, operated by Spain's public rail company Renfe, was also involved and reportedly bore the brunt of the collision.
Salvador Jiménez, a journalist for Spanish broadcaster RTVE who was on board one of the trains, described a moment that felt "like an earthquake" as the carriages left the tracks. In the chaotic aftermath, passengers used emergency hammers to break windows and crawl to safety, with some managing to walk away from the wreckage. Videos from the scene showed carriages leaning at a severe angle as survivors escaped.
"I am still trembling," said passenger María San José, 33, who was on the initial Malaga-to-Madrid service that derailed. She confirmed to El País that there were many injured at the scene.
A Complex and Ongoing Rescue Operation
Regional health and emergencies minister Antonio Sanz stated that the rescue operation is "very complex," with access to some carriages severely hampered. Three carriages plunged down a four-metre embankment, creating a significant challenge for emergency crews. Francisco Carmona, director of the Córdoba Fire Consortium, told press that firefighters were having to sift through the dead to reach those who were still trapped but alive.
Specialist teams from across Spain have been mobilised to assist. The response includes additional firefighters, paramedics, search and rescue experts, forensic scientists, and psychologists to handle the mass casualty event.
Officials Fear the Worst as Numbers are Provisional
The operator ADIF confirmed that the derailed Iryo train was carrying around 300 passengers. The number of people on the second Renfe train has not been disclosed. The current casualty figures are provisional, and officials have repeatedly warned they expect them to increase.
Spanish Minister of Transport Óscar Puente, Andalusian president Moreno Bonilla, and Minister Antonio Sanz have all issued the same grave warning about a likely rise in the death toll as search efforts continue into the night. The focus remains on rescuing survivors from the tangled wreckage in what has become one of Spain's most serious rail accidents in recent years.
