Madrid/Andalusia, Jan 19 (EFE).- At least 39 people have been killed and 73 were hospitalized after part of a high-speed train carrying more than 300 passengers derailed and collided with another train near the town of Adamuz, in the southern Spanish province of Córdoba.
The last three cars of an Iryo train, which had departed from Malaga at 6.40 pm bound for Madrid with 317 people on board, derailed at 7.39 pm and crossed onto the adjacent track, colliding with the first two cars of a Renfe train traveling to Huelva, which were thrown off the track and down an embankment.
Of those in hospital, 24 of them are in serious condition, four of them children, the latest figures show early Monday morning.
All those injured and requiring hospital treatment after the derailment have now been transferred to medical centers, reported Transport Minister Óscar Puente.
In a statement to the media, Juanma Moreno, president of the autonomous community of Andalusia (which includes Córdoba and seven other southern Spanish provinces), detailed the number of hospitalized individuals and said that most are being treated at the Reina Sofía Hospital in Córdoba.
The Andalusian Minister of Health, Antonio Sanz, has warned that the situation is “very serious” and that the death toll could continue to rise.
‘Strange and difficult to explain’
As a result of the impact, which Minister Puente described as “terrible,” at least 21 people have been killed, and dozens more have been seriously injured.
Speaking to the media, Puente said he did not know the cause of the derailment, but considered the accident “strange and difficult to explain” because the Iryo train that caused the collision is relatively new, about four years old, and the infrastructure was also recently renovated with an investment of 700 million euros.
Puente, who will travel to the site of the accident on Monday, confirmed that it is a straight stretch of track and reported that the accident will be investigated by the independent commission responsible for studying these types of accidents.
Medical and rescue operations
The Andalusian government operates a large-scale medical facility in Adamuz, equipped with mobile intensive care units, ambulances, and critical care teams, according to Regional Minister Antonio Sanz.
In addition, a specialized search and rescue team from the Military Emergency Unit, certified by the UN, has been deployed to Adamuz to assist in the efforts following the tragedy.
Relatives of the passengers on the train bound for Huelva have gone to the station in that city to get information, as they have been unable to contact their loved ones.
A psychological support point has been set up at the station, while the mayor, Pilar Miranda, and the sub-delegate of the government in Huelva, María José Rico, have gone to the scene.
Condolences
“Tonight is a night of deep pain for our country due to the tragic railway accident in Adamuz,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X.
“I want to express my most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. No words can alleviate such immense suffering, but I want them to know that the entire country stands with them in this extremely difficult moment. All emergency services are working in a coordinated manner without rest.”
Along with Sánchez, the leader of the opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and other political leaders have expressed their sorrow over the incident, and messages of condolence have come from all political parties and even from European institutions.
The Spanish royal family, who arrived in Athens on Sunday to attend the funeral of Princess Irene of Greece on Monday, is following the tragic accident with concern and conveyed their condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and their support to the injured in a message on X.
Furthermore, all the autonomous communities have offered their assistance to Andalusia in the rescue efforts and in providing medical care to the injured. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has conveyed her condolences to the families of the victims and the Spanish people.
Sánchez has decided to suspend his schedule for Monday, including the meeting he had planned with Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who had previously requested its postponement upon learning of the accident.
More than 200 trains were affected
More than 200 trains will be affected by the suspension of rail service on the high-speed lines between Madrid and the Andalusian cities of Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, and Huelva on Monday, according to Adif, the company that manages Spain’s railway infrastructure.
The service disruption will mainly affect Renfe, which operates the most trains.
The stations at Atocha (Madrid), Cordoba, Seville, and Malaga will remain open all night to accommodate the hundreds of passengers who were unable to catch their trains. EFE
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