9News Nigeria reports that at least 21 people have been killed and dozens more injured in a devastating high-speed train collision in southern Spain, according to a report by the Associated Press (AP). The accident occurred late Sunday evening near Adamuz in the province of Córdoba, when a high-speed passenger train derailed and crossed onto the opposite track, colliding head-on with an oncoming service.
According to a report by the AP, the rear section of the train travelling from Málaga to Madrid came off the rails around 7:45 p.m. local time and struck the front of a second train that was heading from Madrid to Huelva, another city in southern Spain. Both trains were high-speed services carrying hundreds of passengers at the time of the crash.
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente confirmed the rising death toll after midnight, saying rescue teams had extracted all survivors from the wreckage but warning that the final figure could change as investigations continue. Emergency services and regional authorities said more than 70 people were brought to hospital, with many suffering serious injuries.
Video and eyewitness accounts shared in Spanish media described scenes of chaos as the trains collided with great force, wrecking carriages and leaving travellers trapped in the mangled metal. Emergency workers, including firefighters, civil guard personnel, and medical teams, worked through the night in near-freezing conditions to reach victims and clear the site. Locals reportedly brought blankets and water to assist those waiting for help.
The Spanish rail infrastructure operator Adif said the accident took place on a straight, recently renovated section of track, raising questions about how such a derailment could occur in that location. The cause of the initial derailment remains unclear, and Spanish officials have launched a formal investigation.
Regional President Juanma Moreno said multiple hospitals in Córdoba received the injured, and authorities established a crisis centre to support families and co-ordinate victim assistance. Only emergency responders were allowed near the crash site as search and recovery efforts continued into the early hours of Monday.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and members of the royal family expressed condolences and pledged full government support for the victims and their families following one of the country’s deadliest rail accidents in recent years. Rail services between Madrid and Andalusia have been suspended as investigators analyse the scene.
