High-speed train crash in southern Spain kills twenty-four, injures many

(MENAFN) At least 24 people have died and 73 others were injured Sunday evening in a collision involving two high-speed trains in southern Spain, authorities report.

Of the injured, 15 are in serious condition, according to the president of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, who added that medical teams treated an additional 170 passengers for minor injuries at a temporary field hospital.

The crash occurred around 7:40 p.m. local time (1840 GMT) near Adamuz in Cordoba when a train traveling from Malaga to Madrid derailed and encroached onto a neighboring track. This caused a second train heading south from Madrid to Huelva to derail as well.

Transport Minister Oscar Puente confirmed that the first two carriages of the southbound train were “thrown off” the rails, describing reports from the scene as “very grave.” Authorities also report that at least 25 people remain in serious condition.

Speaking on Monday, Puente described the incident as “strange,” noting that it occurred on a straight section of track renovated in May with an investment of €700 million ($728 million). He added that the track was “supposedly in perfect state” and that the train involved was “relatively new,” only four years old.

Adamuz’s Mayor, Rafael Moreno, was among the first to arrive at the site alongside local police.

“I saw a passenger reduced to rags,” Moreno said. “There was no light, it was nighttime. The scene is horrific.”

The crash has led to the suspension of high-speed rail services between Madrid and Andalusia, with officials confirming that the line will remain closed throughout Monday, Jan. 19.

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