A tragic train accident in Spain has resulted in the loss of 21 lives and left numerous passengers en route to Madrid injured as the train veered off its tracks.
The death toll has climbed to 21, with 25 individuals in critical condition following the derailment in Andalusia on Sunday, January 18. An Iryo train departing from Malaga with around 300 passengers onboard reportedly derailed onto an adjacent track, colliding with a train traveling from Madrid to Huelva, causing both trains to derail, as per the national rail operator ADIF.
Distressing images from the scene depict severely damaged locomotives, with one carriage overturned on the tracks. Passengers were spotted emerging from shattered windows, while others, injured, sat beside the tracks.
An RTVE reporter aboard the train from Cordoba to Madrid recounted a carriage overturning and sustaining window damage. Emergency protocols were activated as the Minister of the Interior for the region established an emergency command station at Adamuz, according to Sky News.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente described the situation as “very serious,” noting that the Iryo train’s rear carriages broke free and crossed into the opposite track, leading to the collision with the Renfe train, resulting in the first two units of the latter being thrown off.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed deep concern, emphasizing government collaboration with relevant authorities and emergency services to aid the affected passengers. High-speed train services between Madrid and Andalusia have been halted while rescue operations are ongoing.
ADIF announced the suspension of all rail traffic in Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Malaga, and Huelva at least until the following day. Iryo, the high-speed train operator in Spain, expressed regret over the incident and activated emergency procedures.
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