At least 21 people have been killed and dozens more injured after two high-speed passenger trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening.
Tragedy in southern Spain🇪🇸: a high-speed train derailed, crossed tracks, and hit another train head-on.
More than 21 reportedly killed, and at least 100 injured, with 25 suffering critical injuries#Spain | #trainaccident pic.twitter.com/UHas6y2Luk
— Sumit (@SumitHansd) January 19, 2026
The crash occurred near the town of Adamuz, close to Cordoba, at 6:40pm local time (17:40 GMT), according to Spain’s rail infrastructure administration, Adif. A high-speed train traveling from Malaga to Madrid derailed and crossed onto a neighboring track around ten minutes after departure.
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A second high-speed train traveling in the opposite direction, from Madrid to Huelva, also derailed following the collision. Private rail operator Iryo, which ran the Malaga-Madrid service, confirmed that around 300 passengers were on board at the time of the incident.
At least 21 people were confirmed dead, as rescue crews continued overnight efforts to evacuate passengers trapped inside the damaged cars. Another 73 people were seriously injured, according to Andalusian emergency services.
#spain An Iryo high-speed train from Málaga to Madrid derailed, invading the adjacent track & causing a collision with an AVE train bound for Huelva. At least 5 people confirmed dead, dozens injured, & services between Madrid & malaga suspended. Rescue operations ongoing. pic.twitter.com/mFIvU0SnaV
— Thepagetoday (@thepagetody) January 18, 2026
Salvador Jimenez, a journalist with RTVE who was on one of the trains, said the impact “felt like an earthquake.” In a later post on X, he said passengers were waiting in the “freezing night” for buses to take them to the Adamuz sports center.
Rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended following the accident, with affected stations remaining open overnight. Adif said support areas for relatives had been established at major stations in Madrid, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga and Huelva.
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said the government is coordinating with emergency services as investigations into the cause of the crash continue.
The Royal Palace said on X that King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were following news of the disaster “with great concern” and extended their “most heartfelt condolences to the relatives and loved ones of the dead.”
