A high-speed train collision in southern Spain on Sunday evening resulted in 45 fatalities and over 120 injuries, marking the country's most severe rail accident in over a decade. The incident near Adamuz, Cordoba, involved a derailment and subsequent impact between two trains. Investigations are focusing on a pre-existing track fracture, while subsequent rail incidents in other parts of Spain have prompted scrutiny of the national rail network's safety and maintenance.
Collision Details and Casualties
The collision occurred at approximately 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT) on Sunday evening, near Adamuz, a town in Andalusia. One high-speed train, operated by Iryo and traveling from Málaga to Madrid with over 300 passengers, derailed its rear carriages.
These carriages (six through eight) then crossed onto an adjacent track, colliding with an oncoming Renfe train, which was traveling southbound from Madrid to Huelva with 100-200 passengers. The impact caused the front carriages of the Renfe train to derail and fall down a four-meter slope, sustaining significant damage.
Initial reports regarding fatalities varied, with confirmed figures later reaching 45. The Renfe train's driver was among the deceased.
Over 120 individuals sustained injuries, with 41 to 48 requiring hospitalization, 12 of whom were admitted to intensive care.
Passengers on board described experiencing shaking, sudden braking, and power loss, with objects dislodged inside carriages.
Emergency services, including military units and the Red Cross, responded to the remote, hilly accident site, which presented access challenges. While the Iryo train was reportedly evacuated quickly, the severely damaged Renfe train required complex operations to extract trapped individuals.
All survivors were reported rescued by midnight, with recovery efforts for deceased individuals continuing for multiple days. DNA samples were collected for identification purposes.
Investigation into the Adamuz Collision
The Civil Guard, the government, and the independent CIAF rail investigation commission initiated inquiries into the collision. A preliminary report by the CIAF indicated that a fracture in a straight section of track "occurred prior to the passage" of the Iryo train.
A track gap of approximately 40 centimeters (15 inches) was documented the day after the disaster and became a central focus of the investigation.
The report specified that "Carriage six derailed due to a complete lack of continuity in the track." Investigators are examining a broken rail joint, or "fishplate," where technicians observed wear.
Checks on the Iryo train's front carriages, which remained on the track, revealed "notches" on their wheels. Similar wheel damage was also observed on three earlier trains that had traversed the same track section.
Sabotage and human error have been ruled out as primary causes.
Renfe's president stated that excessive speed was not a factor, as the trains were operating below the 250 km/h speed limit, traveling at 205 km/h and 110 km/h respectively.
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the incident as "extremely strange," noting it occurred on a section of track that had been renovated in May and involved a train less than four years old.
He stated that the issue was not a lack of maintenance, obsolete infrastructure, or insufficient investment, referencing a recent €700 million investment in the Madrid-Andalusia line, including the accident section. However, the government also suggested that the track damage might be a consequence of the collision rather than its cause.
Rail infrastructure administrator Adif had recorded eight technical issues on the line near the accident site over the past year, predominantly related to signaling. The investigation is anticipated to take at least a month to conclude.
Broader Rail System Scrutiny and Subsequent Incidents
Following the Adamuz collision, all high-speed rail services connecting Madrid with Malaga, Cordoba, Sevilla, and Huelva were suspended. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared three days of national mourning and pledged a transparent investigation.
The incident was followed by a series of other rail events in Spain:
- Barcelona Commuter Train Derailment: Two days after the Adamuz collision, a commuter train derailed near Barcelona on Tuesday evening. The incident, which occurred between Gelida and Sant SadurnÃ, was caused by a retaining wall collapsing onto the track due to heavy rainfall. The train driver died, and at least 37 people were injured, four seriously.
- Catalonia Local Train Incident: On the same day, another local train in Catalonia struck a rock, which had been dislodged by a storm and hit an axle. No injuries were reported in this incident.
- Narrow-Gauge Train Incident: On Thursday, a narrow-gauge train experienced minor passenger injuries after being struck by a crane.
- Madrid-Barcelona Line Track Fault: On the Sunday following the main collision, a crack was identified on a segment of the high-speed line between Madrid and Barcelona, leading to a temporary speed limit reduction to 80 km/h on the affected section. The transport ministry indicated the fault did not pose a danger. Earlier, speed limits on several sections of the Madrid-Barcelona line had been temporarily lowered to 230 km/h due to driver reports of vibrations, before being reinstated.
These incidents have intensified scrutiny of Spain's rail system, which possesses the world's second-largest high-speed rail network.
Train drivers in Catalonia refused to work, citing safety concerns, and the national train drivers' union Semaf announced a nationwide strike for February, referencing a perceived "constant deterioration of the rail network."
Public debate has emerged regarding rail infrastructure investment and maintenance. While Transport Minister Puente cited substantial investment in the Madrid-Andalusia line, an index by the German railway association Allianz pro Schiene ranked Spain lowest among 14 European countries in per capita rail infrastructure spending in 2024.
An expert from Cartagena's University-Polytechnic noted that the liberalization of the rail sector in 2020, which doubled high-speed passenger numbers to approximately 22 million annually, has increased pressure on the system's maintenance requirements.