Spain Train Crash Kills 41 Near Adamuz in Andalusia

A high-speed train derailed late Sunday near the town of Adamuz in Andalusia, southern Spain, crashing into an oncoming train and killing 41 people. The incident on January 18, 2026, injured 292 others, marking the country's worst rail disaster since 2013.

Background

The crash happened on a straight stretch of track between Córdoba and other points in Andalusia. One train, run by private company Iryo, was heading from Málaga to Madrid with over 300 passengers. It left Córdoba-Julio Anguita station around 7:39 p.m. local time. A few minutes later, at about 7:45 p.m., the rear carriages of this Iryo train derailed as it passed over a set of points. Those carriages shifted onto the opposite track.

Seconds later, a Renfe train from Spain's public rail network, carrying around 100 passengers and heading from Madrid to Huelva, slammed into the derailed section. Both trains derailed in the collision. The Renfe train's driver died in the wreck.

This line had work done on it just eight months earlier, in May 2025. Officials spent 700 million euros to fix it up. Three trains had passed the same spot without issue just 20 minutes before the crash. Both trains were going under the 250 km/h speed limit for that section.

Spain has not seen a rail crash this bad in years. Back in 2013, a train derailment near Santiago de Compostela killed 79 people after it sped through a sharp curve too fast. That remains the deadliest in modern times, but this Adamuz event ranks as the fourth worst ever in Spain.

Key Details

Rescue teams rushed to the site Sunday night. Local people from Adamuz got there first. They pulled survivors from twisted metal using hands and basic tools. One man, Gonzalo Sanchez, drove his four-wheeler to carry injured people to safety.

"There were people with missing limbs," said Gonzalo Sanchez. "They were crying. Nobody was born to see this."

Another resident, who gave his name only as Antonio, helped for hours.

"I think we did all we could," Antonio told reporters. "The sad thing is we couldn't do more."

The death toll started at 39 but rose to 41 by Monday evening when rescuers found another body in an Iryo carriage. Over 120 people went to hospitals. By Tuesday, 39 remained there, including four children. Fifteen were in critical condition. Another 170 had minor injuries and got care on site or went home. About 79 people left hospitals by the next day.

Teams set up a temporary hospital in a sports center in Adamuz. Heavy machines lifted damaged coaches on Monday to reach trapped victims better. Around 35 families still waited for word on missing relatives as of Monday. A Red Cross psychologist said their pain was hard to watch.

Police and experts started looking at the scene right away. They found a broken joint in the rails that made a gap. Trains passing over it may have made the gap bigger. One carriage from the Iryo train, coach six, seems to have derailed first. Police asked to leave it in place for checks.

Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente spoke on radio Tuesday. He said the crash was strange because the track looked fine. Experts are surprised too since it was a flat, straight part. Puente noted many fractures in the track over 200 meters after the derailment. The big question is if a track break caused the derailment or if the train coming off the rails broke the track.

Officials ruled out sabotage early. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said no signs pointed that way. Human error also seems unlikely since speeds were normal.

Spain's top high-speed train engineer, Álvaro Aznar, said early signs point to a mechanical failure. But full answers may take weeks.

Response and Mourning

The government declared three days of national mourning starting Tuesday. Flags flew at half-mast on public buildings. TV news readers wore black. Ministers cut back on events.

High-speed service stopped between Madrid and Andalusia from Monday until at least Friday. Stations in Atocha, Córdoba, Seville, Málaga stayed open all night to help stuck travelers. Airlines like Iberia added flights to those cities.

ADIF, which runs the tracks, set up rooms at stations for families of victims. The Civil Guard opened offices in Córdoba, Madrid, Málaga, Huelva, and Seville for DNA samples to identify bodies.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the government works with emergency teams to aid those hit. Andalusia leader Juan Manuel Moreno said it would take 24 to 48 more hours to confirm the final death count.

What This Means

This crash raises questions about rail safety in Spain, even on new tracks. The €700 million upgrade did not prevent the derailment. If a faulty rail joint caused it, checks on similar spots across the network may increase. Investigators must sort if the track failed first or the train did.

Families face long waits for closure. DNA matching will help identify remains, but that takes time. Around 35 groups still seek missing people. Hospitals treat serious cases, and the toll could rise if more bodies turn up under wreckage.

Travel in southern Spain stays disrupted. No high-speed trains run until at least Friday. That affects commuters, tourists, and families. Airlines step in, but costs and spots fill fast.

Spain mourns as one of its busiest lines shuts down. Public trust in trains may dip until causes come clear. Past crashes like 2013 led to speed checks and fines. This one could bring more track tests and train reviews.

Residents near Adamuz saw horror up close. Their quick help saved lives, but the scars remain. The town, small and rural, now draws national eyes. Recovery means not just clearing metal but healing a shaken region.

Experts watch close. A straight track fail on a fresh line puzzles them. Mechanical issues in new trains or points failure could point to wider checks needed. Weeks of probes lie ahead, with coach six key to answers.

The nation pauses. Flags low, screens dark-tinted. But questions grow on how such a crash happened where all seemed safe.