Spain High-Speed Train Crash Kills 39, PM: “A Heartbreaking Night” | WPN World People News

A major railway accident occurred on the evening of the 18th in Adamuz, southern Spain, when an Iryo high-speed train (No. 6189) traveling north from Malaga to Madrid derailed, crossed onto the opposite track, and collided head-on with a southbound Renfe train bound for Huelva. Both trains derailed as a result of the crash. According to police, the death toll has risen to 39, with 152 people injured. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on social media platform X that it was “a heartbreaking night.”

At the time of the accident, the Renfe train was traveling at about 200 kilometers per hour, while the speed of the Iryo train remains unknown. The Iryo train was carrying more than 300 passengers, while the Renfe train had around 100 on board, most of them Spaniards returning home after the weekend. Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the section of track had been renovated as recently as May last year, adding that a derailment on a straight stretch of track was “extremely rare.” He noted that most of the casualties were in the first two carriages of the Renfe train, which were thrown down an embankment after the collision, resulting in heavy losses.

The impact of the accident was widespread, with more than 200 train services between Madrid and the Andalusia region canceled, affecting major cities including Córdoba, Seville, and Granada. Authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Sánchez said the entire nation stands with the families of the victims and the injured during this difficult time, and called for unity in the face of the tragedy.