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At least 39 people have died and dozens more were injured after a high-speed train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, on Sunday evening, authorities said. Officials called the crash “truly strange,” noting it happened on a straight stretch of track.
The accident occurred around 7:45 p.m. local time, about an hour after a train left Málaga for Madrid. The train derailed and crossed onto the opposite tracks, slamming head-on into a second train traveling south from Madrid to Huelva. Most of the casualties were in the front carriages of the southbound train.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente described the crash as “extremely strange.” Video from the scene showed twisted carriages, passengers climbing from shattered windows, and emergency crews working through the night to rescue survivors.
Travel across Andalusia has been severely disrupted, with more than 130 trains canceled between Madrid and cities like Seville, Malaga, Cordoba, and Huelva. Rail operator Renfe is offering refunds and rebookings, while infrastructure manager Adif set up a hotline to help relatives of victims.
Spain is home to Europe’s largest high-speed rail network, with more than 3,100 kilometers (1,900 miles) of track carrying trains at speeds over 250 km/h (155 mph). In 2024, more than 25 million passengers traveled on the network. Despite its reputation for safety, Sunday’s crash is one of the deadliest rail accidents in recent Spanish history.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez cleared his schedule to oversee the response, calling the incident a national tragedy. Investigators say it could take about a month to determine what went wrong.
