Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the railway accident that occurred late Sunday afternoon in Andalusia, claiming at least 39 lives, as “extremely strange.”

According to the latest figures published by RTVE, over 150 people were injured, many seriously, when the “last carriages” of an Iryo train that had left Málaga, Andalusia (southern Spain) for Madrid, derailed near Adamuz. This caused a collision with another train, operated by Renfe, traveling in the opposite direction. The impact was so severe that the first carriages of the Renfe train also derailed.

Of the 152 injured in total, five are in critical condition, 24 in serious condition (all hospitalized), and 123 people have injuries of varying severity.

Footage broadcast by Spanish public television shows the two trains surrounded by crowds and ambulances as rescue teams worked to assist dozens of victims.

Referring to the possible causes of the accident, the Spanish minister repeatedly stressed that they remain unknown and that the investigation will be conducted by the Railway Accident Investigation Committee. He also expressed surprise at the circumstances of the tragedy, noting that the Iryo train was “almost new,” only four years old.

Additionally, he noted that this railway line had been fully renovated in May 2025 as part of a €700 million investment, and that the accident occurred on a straight section of the track.

“This is an extremely strange accident; all technicians and experts are stunned,” he said. According to him, the investigation is expected to last at least a month due to the complexity of the case. “The committee is independent and will shed light on the causes, so we can understand exactly what happened,” he concluded.

Sánchez: Night of Deep Sorrow

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described it as a “night of deep sorrow” following “the tragic railway accident” on Sunday night in southern Spain, which, according to authorities’ current tally, claimed at least 39 lives.

“No words can ease such great misfortune, but I want you to know that the whole country stands by you in this very difficult moment,” said the Socialist prime minister via X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday night, offering his “most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.”

Spain’s royal family also expressed “great concern” over the “serious accident” and offered their “sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims.”

The Derailed Train Had Been Inspected Just Four Days Earlier

The Iryo train that derailed on Sunday in Adamuz (Córdoba) had been inspected on January 15, just four days earlier, and was built in 2022, according to the company’s data.

In a statement, Iryo said it was in constant communication with all relevant authorities—the Ministry of Transport, Adif, the Government Delegation, the Andalusian Autonomous Government (Junta de Andalucía), and the municipalities of Adamuz and Córdoba—and expressed gratitude for the solidarity, prompt response, and human and technical resources mobilized from the first moment.

The company also emphasized that it is fully at the disposal of the committee investigating the accident and will cooperate completely, providing all requested information.

“Horror Movie”

“You would think you’re living in a horror movie,” said passenger Lucas Meriaco, who was on the Iryo train, in an interview with La Sexta. “There was a very violent collision at the back, and I thought the whole train would come apart (…) Many people were injured by glass shards,” he said.

“It was like an earthquake hit the train,” reported a journalist from public radio RNE who was on one of the trains, speaking on public TVE. Passengers in his carriage used emergency hammers to break the windows and start getting out of the train.

According to Spanish media, over 300 people were on the Iryo train and over 100 on the other train, operated by Spain’s national railway company, Renfe.

At Madrid’s large Atocha station, “psychological support teams were deployed to accompany the families” of the victims, said Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he is “thinking of” the victims of the railway accident in Andalusia, calling it a “tragedy” and promising France’s support to Spain.

Due to the accident, “high-speed train traffic between Madrid and Córdoba, Seville, Málaga, and Huelva (cities in southern Spain) is suspended at least overnight” from Sunday to Monday, reported Adif, the manager of the Spanish railway network, via X.

Spain has not yet healed from another recent tragedy: the deadly floods of October 29, 2024, which mostly affected Valencia, leaving over 230 dead.