Spain Mourns After Deadly High-Speed Train Crash

Spain is reeling after one of its most devastating railway disasters in recent memory, as a high-speed train derailment and collision near the town of Adamuz in Andalusia left at least 39 people dead and well over 150 injured. The catastrophic event unfolded on Sunday evening, January 18, 2026, when an Iryo-operated train traveling from Malaga to Madrid derailed on a straight stretch of track, plowing into a Renfe train coming from Madrid to Huelva. The chaos and heartbreak that followed have gripped the nation, with emergency crews, military units, and government officials mobilizing in a race against time to save lives and comfort the bereaved.

According to the Associated Press, the accident occurred at around 6:40 p.m. local time, with both trains carrying a combined total of nearly 400 passengers. The Iryo train, packed with more than 300 travelers, jumped the rails and careened into the path of the Renfe train, which held around 100 people and was reportedly traveling at approximately 200 kilometers per hour at the moment of impact, as reported by El País. The force of the collision was so great that several carriages overturned, with the front carriages of the Renfe train tumbling down an embankment. The scene quickly became one of twisted metal and shattered glass, as survivors scrambled to escape through windows and even the roof, according to video footage verified by CNN.

The death toll, initially reported at 21, steadily climbed as rescue efforts continued through the night. By Monday morning, January 19, 2026, the number of confirmed fatalities had risen to at least 39, with authorities warning that the figure could yet increase. Among the dead was the driver of the Renfe train, a detail confirmed by both RTVE and EFE news agencies. The regional health minister for Andalusia, Antonio Sanz, told local media that the situation remained complex and that some victims were still trapped in the wreckage, making recovery efforts dangerous and painstaking.

Emergency services responded with remarkable speed and scale. The Andalusian government deployed five mobile intensive care units, four critical care units, and a fleet of ambulances, while the Spanish military dispatched troops from a nearby base to assist with rescue and recovery. First responders worked through the night, often in pitch-black conditions, battling both the physical wreckage and the emotional toll of the tragedy. According to ABC, 152 people sustained injuries, with at least 24 in serious condition. Seventy-three injured passengers were taken to six different hospitals in the region, and a reception center was set up in Adamuz to treat and support survivors.

Survivors’ accounts paint a harrowing picture of the moments before and after the collision. Maria San José, a passenger in coach 6 on the train from Malaga to Madrid, told El País, “There are many injured. I am still trembling.” Another passenger, Carmen, posted on social media, “Ten minutes after departing from Cordoba the train started to shake a lot, and it derailed from coach 6 behind us. The lights went out.” A traveler on the Renfe train described the chaos to TVE: “There were people screaming, their bags fell from the shelves. I was travelling to Huelva in the fourth carriage, the last, luckily.”

Firefighters and emergency personnel faced daunting obstacles. Cordoba fire chief Paco Carmona told TVE that while the Iryo train was evacuated within hours, the Renfe train’s carriages were badly mangled. “There are still people trapped. The operation is concentrating on getting people out of areas which are very narrow,” he said. “We have to remove the bodies to reach anyone who is still alive. It is proving to be a complicated task.”

The cause of the derailment and subsequent collision is still under investigation. Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente expressed his bafflement at a press conference in Madrid, stating, “It is really strange that a derailment should have happened on a straight stretch of track.” He pointed out that the section of track where the accident occurred had been renewed as recently as May 2025, part of a €700 million investment project. “All the railway experts who have been here today… and those we have consulted are extremely baffled by the accident,” Puente told Telecinco. The Iryo train was relatively new, adding another layer of mystery to the tragedy.

Rail operator Adif suspended all train services between Madrid and the Andalusia region, affecting over 200 scheduled trains nationwide. Passengers stranded by the cancellations gathered at stations in Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Malaga, and Huelva, waiting anxiously for information and alternative travel arrangements. Meanwhile, psychological support teams and information points were established to aid victims and their families, according to CNN.

The disaster has drawn a wave of national and international sympathy. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez canceled his appointments on Monday and addressed the nation, calling January 18 “a night of deep pain for our country owing to the tragic rail accident in Adamuz.” He expressed his condolences on social media: “No word can alleviate such great suffering, but I want them to know that the whole country is by their side in this tough moment.” The King and Queen of Spain, attending a funeral in Athens at the time, released a statement: “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the deceased, as well as our best wishes for a speedy recover to the injured.”

Iryo, the operator of the derailed train, issued a statement expressing deep regret and confirming that it had activated all emergency protocols. Renfe, Spain’s national railway company, said its president was traveling to the crash site and pledged full support for passengers and their families. Both companies have been working closely with authorities throughout the rescue and recovery process.

The tragedy is being described as one of Spain’s worst rail disasters since the 2013 Galicia crash, which claimed 79 lives. As rescue and recovery operations continue, the nation is left searching for answers and grappling with the immense loss. For now, the priority remains supporting the injured and the families of those lost, while investigators work to unravel the mystery of how such a catastrophe could have occurred on a modern, well-maintained stretch of track.

Spain’s high-speed rail system, long regarded as one of the safest and most advanced in Europe, now faces searching questions. But as the country mourns, the resilience and solidarity of its people shine through amid the darkness.