High-speed train crash in Spain kills at least 39Skip to contentWatch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationWatch DocumentariesTechnologyScienceArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindHealthWatch DocumentariesCultureWatch DocumentariesFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsWatch DocumentariesArts in MotionTravelWatch DocumentariesDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthWatch DocumentariesNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoWatch DocumentariesBBC MaestroDiscover the WorldLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveHigh-speed train crash in Spain kills at least 392 hours agoShareSaveHarry Sekulich,BBC News,Guy Hedgecoe,MadridandRachel Hagan,BBC NewsShareSaveFootage shows emergency workers at scene of derailmentAt least 39 people have died in a train collision in southern Spain and dozens more have been injured in the country's worst rail crash in more than a decade, Spain's Civil Guard has said.Carriages on a Madrid-bound train derailed and crossed over to the opposite tracks, colliding with an oncoming train in Adamuz on Sunday evening.Four hundred passengers and staff were onboard both trains, the rail networks said. Emergency services treated 122 people, with 48, including five children, still in hospital. Of those, 11 adults and one child are in intensive care.Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the death toll "is not yet final", as officials launched an investigation.Puente described the incident as "extremely strange". All the railway experts consulted by the government "are extremely baffled by the accident", he told reporters in Madrid.Follow live updatesRail network operator Adif said the collision happened at 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT), about an hour after the train left Málaga heading north to Madrid, when it derailed on a straight stretch of track near the city of Córdoba.The force of the crash pushed the carriages of the second train into an embankment, Puente said. He added that most of those killed and injured were in the front carriages of the second train, which was travelling south from Madrid to Huelva.The type of train involved in the crash was a Freccia 1000, which can reach top speeds of 400 km/h (250 mph), a spokesperson for the Italian rail company Ferrovie dello Stato told Reuters news agency.Rescue teams said the twisted wreckage of the trains made it difficult to recover people trapped inside the carriages.Córdoba fire chief Francisco Carmona told Spanish public broadcaster RTVE: "We have even had to remove a dead person to be able to reach someone alive. It is hard, tricky work."Salvador Jimenez, a journalist with RTVE who was on one of the trains, said the impact felt like an "earthquake". "I was in the first carriage. There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake and the train had indeed derailed," Jimenez said.Footage from the scene appears to show some train carriages had tipped over on their sides. Rescue workers can be seen scaling the train to pull people out of the lopsided train doors and windows.A Madrid-bound passenger, José, told public broadcaster Canal Sur: "There were people and screaming, calling for doctors."ReutersPassengers were taken to hospital and advanced medical posts near the site of the crashAll rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended following the accident and are expected to remain closed all day on Monday.Iryo, a private rail company that operated the journey from Málaga, said around 300 passengers were on board the train that first derailed, while the other train – operated by the state-funded firm Renfe – had around 100 passengers.The official cause is not yet known. An investigation is not expected to determine what happened for at least a month, according to the transport minister. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, said the country will endure a "night of deep pain". The mayor of Adamuz, Rafael Moreno, was one of the first people on the scene of the accident, describing it as "a nightmare".King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia said they were following news of the disaster "with great concern"."We extend our most heartfelt condolences to the relatives and loved ones of the dead, as well as our love and wishes for a swift recovery to the injured," the royal palace said on X.The emergency agency in the region of Andalusia urged any crash survivors to contact their families or post on social media that they are alive.EPAFriends and relatives have been seeking information about their loved ones on board either train.Advanced medical posts were set up for impacted passengers to be treated for injuries and transferred to hospital. Adif said it set up spaces for relatives of the victims at Atocha, Seville, Córdoba, Málaga and Huelva stations. The Spanish Red Cross has deployed emergency support services to the scene, while also offering counselling to families nearby.Miguel Ángel Rodríguez from the Red Cross told RNE radio: "The families are going through a situation of great anxiety due to the lack of information. These are very distressing moments."ReutersThe foyer of the hospital close to the crash site, Caseta Municipal in Adamuz, filled with affected passengers.French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen have published statements offering condolences. "My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the entire Spanish people. France stands by your side," Macron wrote on social media.In 2013, Spain suffered its worst high-speed train derailment in Galicia, north-west Spain, which left 80 people dead and 140 others injured. Spain's high-speed rail network is the second largest in the world, behind China, connecting more than 50 cities across the country. Adif data shows the Spanish rail is more than 4,000km long (2,485 miles).If it is safe to do so, you can get in touch by following this linkGet our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. 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At least 39 people have died in a high-speed train collision in southern Spain, marking the country’s worst rail disaster in over a decade. The incident occurred near Adamuz on Sunday evening when a Madrid-bound train derailed and crossed onto the opposite track, colliding with an oncoming train traveling from Madrid to Huelva. The crash involved two trains carrying a combined total of 400 passengers and staff, with emergency services treating 122 individuals, including 48 still hospitalized—11 adults and one child in intensive care. Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the accident as “extremely strange,” noting that railway experts remain baffled by its cause. The collision happened at 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT) as the first train departed Málaga, traveling north toward Madrid along a straight stretch of track near Córdoba. The force of the impact pushed the second train’s carriages into an embankment, with most casualties concentrated in its front sections. The affected train, a Freccia 1000 operated by the Italian rail company Ferrovie dello Stato, is capable of reaching speeds up to 400 km/h (250 mph). Rescue operations faced challenges due to the twisted wreckage, with fire chief Francisco Carmona of Córdoba describing the effort as “hard, tricky work,” including the need to remove a deceased individual to access survivors. Passengers reported the collision felt like an “earthquake,” with one journalist, Salvador Jiménez, noting the derailment occurred in the first carriage. Footage from the scene showed train carriages tipped over, requiring rescuers to climb onto the wreckage to extract trapped individuals. The crash led to immediate suspensions of rail services between Madrid and Andalusia, with closures expected to last through Monday. Iryo, a private operator, had approximately 300 passengers on the derailed train, while Renfe, a state-owned company, carried around 100 on the opposing train. The official cause of the accident remains unknown, with an investigation expected to take at least a month. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared the event a “night of deep pain,” while Adamuz Mayor Rafael Moreno called it “a nightmare.” King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia expressed concern, offering condolences to victims’ families. Survivors were urged to contact relatives or use social media to confirm their safety, as advanced medical posts were established near the crash site. The Spanish Red Cross provided emergency support and counseling, with representatives noting families were experiencing “great anxiety” due to limited information. International figures, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen, extended condolences. The incident has reignited scrutiny of Spain’s high-speed rail network, the second-largest in the world after China, which spans over 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) and connects more than 50 cities. This crash follows the 2013 derailment in Galicia, which killed 80 and injured 140, highlighting ongoing concerns about safety in the country’s rapid transit systems. The tragedy has prompted calls for transparency and thorough investigation into potential failures in infrastructure, operational protocols, or technical malfunctions. As the nation grapples with grief, the focus remains on supporting victims’ families, managing the aftermath of the disaster, and addressing systemic issues to prevent future incidents.