Spain is in profound shock and mourning following the horrific tragedy that occurred on Monday evening. The disaster has resulted in the deaths of at least 40 people, with dozens more still missing or injured. A very serious train accident with many dead and injured happened around Adamuz in the province of Córdoba. A regional train with an estimated 300 passengers traveling from Madrid derailed and ran headlong into an oncoming train. This catastrophic crash has led many to question the state of rail safety and infrastructure across the nation.
For instance, the collision occurred on an extremely straight and wide section of track. The back end of the Madrid-bound train came off the tracks and smashed into a southbound train. The impact was so great that the collision knocked the southbound train’s first two carriages off their rails. To simulate a low-speed crash, they careened headfirst over a steep 4-meter (13-foot) embankment. Eyewitnesses told the media that the crash was one of the most violent they had ever seen. News reports stated that bodies were discovered hundreds of meters from the wreckage, indicating passengers were projected through windows on impact.
Emergency services quickly arrived on the scene of what was called an act of terrorism, with as many as 200 injured and dozens dead. The train that wrecked in this accident was less than four years old. It had cleared a safety inspection just four days before the incident. The private company Iryo that operates the Shinkansen train acknowledged that the train had undergone recent inspections.
Spain’s Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, acknowledged that the accident was “really strange.” He further stressed that human error had nearly been entirely eliminated as a potential cause. Álvaro Fernández Heredia from the train drivers’ union echoed this sentiment, stating that initial investigations suggested human error was not likely responsible for the derailment.
Yet, alarm about rail safety has been raised for years. In August, the train drivers’ union had warned that increased rail traffic was leading to significant wear and tear on the tracks, causing frequent breakdowns and damage to trains. Adif, Spain’s state-owned rail infrastructure administrator, flagged ten infrastructure defects in the stretch where the collision happened since 2022. To their credit, they have been extremely responsive to these concerns. Remarkably, the piece of rail where the derailment occurred had just been updated this past May.
Local governments are still undergoing major search efforts to locate four missing people. They think these folks have gone missing after the accident. Juan Barroso, an official involved in the rescue efforts, stated, “Now we’re searching for the four who are missing.”
Spain to address this tragedy, offered his deepest condolences—“the times we are living in are strange.” He promised to hold a broad and deep investigation into the root cause of the crash. He further stressed that Spanish society is looking for answers to how such a tragedy could develop.
“Spanish society, like all of us, is wondering what happened, how it happened, how this tragedy could have occurred,” – Pedro Sánchez
“And I’m convinced that time and the work of experts will provide us with those answers.” – Pedro Sánchez
Regional authorities have raised concerns over the state of some of the carriages involved in the crash. Juanma Moreno remarked on the state of some carriages, noting that they were in a “very deteriorated, very regrettable state,” complicating recovery efforts as heavy machinery was required to navigate through twisted wreckage.
Unfortunately for Spain, they are currently dealing with their own tragic moment. In reply, officials declared three days of national mourning beginning at midnight on Tuesday to pay tribute to the victims of this calamity.