High-speed train derails in Spain, colliding with oncoming train; at least 21 dead

Mangalore Today News Network

Spain, January 19, 2026: A high-speed train derailed and collided with an oncoming train in southern Spain on Sunday, causing the second train to leave the tracks. Police confirmed to Reuters that at least 21 people were killed.

The first train, operated privately by Iryo, was traveling from Málaga to Madrid, while the second, run by Spain’s national rail company Renfe, was bound for Huelva, west of Seville.

The accident occurred near Adamuz in Córdoba province. State broadcaster Televisión Española reported that around 100 people were injured, 25 of them seriously. The driver of the Madrid-to-Huelva train was among those killed.

Adif, which manages Spain’s rail network, said on social media: “The Iryo 6189 Málaga-Madrid train derailed at Adamuz, crashing onto the adjacent track. The Madrid-Huelva train on the adjacent track also derailed.” The incident happened at 6:40 p.m. (1740 GMT), roughly 10 minutes after the Iryo train left Córdoba.

Iryo, majority-owned by Italy’s state-controlled Ferrovie dello Stato, confirmed the train involved was a Freccia 1000. The company expressed deep regret and said it had activated emergency protocols to assist authorities. Renfe did not respond to requests for comment.

Adif has suspended all rail services between Madrid and Andalusia. The cause of the derailment remains unclear. Transport Minister Óscar Puente noted that the train was only a few years old and the track section had recently been replaced.

The Iryo train carried more than 300 passengers, while the Renfe train had about 100. Paco Carmona, Córdoba fire chief, said the Iryo train had been evacuated, but passengers were still trapped in the severely damaged carriages of the Renfe train. “We have to remove bodies to reach survivors,” he said.

Puente described the scene as serious, with the first two carriages of the Renfe train thrown off the tracks. “The most important thing now is to help the victims,” he said, adding that the cause of the accident is still unknown.

Adamuz Mayor Rafael Moreno told El País that he saw a badly lacerated body near the crash site. “The scene is horrific,” he said, noting that local authorities and residents are focused on assisting passengers.

Local television showed a reception center in Adamuz, where residents provided food and blankets to stranded passengers amid temperatures around 42°F (6°C).

Passengers shared harrowing accounts on social media. Carmen, on the Iryo train, said: “Ten minutes after leaving Córdoba, the train shook and derailed. The lights went out.” Journalist Salvador Jiménez, also on board, described passengers using emergency hammers to escape and rescuers removing people on stretchers.