Spain: 39 killed after high-speed trains collide; videos show passengers crawling out of windows

At least 39 people were killed, and a dozen others were injured after a high-speed train derailed and collided with an oncoming train on Sunday evening in southern Spain.

Passengers reportedly used emergency hammers to break windows, and some were able to walk away without serious injuries. Videos shared by people at the scene showed passengers crawling out through windows to escape the wreckage, with several carriages left leaning at an angle.



Witnesses described the collision as feeling like an earthquake, with some passengers also reporting smoke inside the carriages and requiring medical attention, Euro News reported.




The tail end of the Malaga–Madrid service carrying around 300 passengers went off the rails near Cordoba at about 7.45 pm (local time), crossed onto the opposite track and slammed into a Madrid–Huelva train with approximately 200 passengers onboard, according to rail operator ADIF.

Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente confirmed the casualties as rescue operations continued at the site. Puente said the death toll could rise as authorities work to confirm additional victims.

The hospitals of the Community of Madrid and the 112 emergency teams are on standby following the tragic accident in Cordoba and are at the disposal of the Andalusian Regional Government," said Madrid's regional president, Isabel Diaz Ayuso.

Andalusia’s regional health chief, Antonio Sanz, said 73 injured passengers were taken to six different hospitals. The crash occurred in the early evening, and hundreds of survivors had to be rescued in the dark.

Puente said the cause of the crash remained unknown, describing it as “a truly strange” incident as it occurred on a flat stretch of track that had been renovated in May, as cited by AP.

He added the rear section of the first train derailed and struck the front of the oncoming service, forcing its first two carriages off the track and down a four-metre slope. He said the most severe damage was sustained by the front section of the Renfe train.

Asked about the timeline for determining the cause of the crash, Puente said the investigation could take up to a month.

Francisco Carmona, the fire chief of Cordoba, told Spanish national radio RNE that one of the trains was badly mangled, with at least four wagons off the rails.

Spain’s military emergency relief units were deployed alongside other rescue teams, while the Red Cross provided support to healthcare officials.

Regional civil protection chief María Belén Moya Rojas said residents brought blankets and water to the scene to help the victims.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X that she was following “the terrible news” from Cordoba.

ADIF said that all train services running between Madrid and Andalusia have been suspended till further notice.