21 killed, several critically injured after two high-speed trains derail in Spain

Dubai: Two high-speed trains derailed on Sunday evening near the town of Adamuz in southern Spain, killing at least 21 people, according to police.

Both trains were en route to Madrid’s Puerta de Atocha station.

The Civil Guard told Spain’s state broadcaster RTVE that several people were injured and that many others remain trapped inside the carriages.

Emergency crews are still at the scene, where rescue operations are ongoing.

Spain’s Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, travelled to Atocha station to supervise the response from Renfe’s emergency coordination centre.

“I’ve been on Adif’s 24-hour call centre for half an hour, following updates on the serious train accident in Adamuz,” Puente wrote on X at around 9:15pm local time.

Hospitals in Madrid have been placed on alert. The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, said regional health services were prepared to assist those affected.

“The hospitals of the Community of Madrid and the SUMMA 112 teams are monitoring the tragic accident in Córdoba and are at the disposal of the Andalusian regional government. Support teams will be deployed at Atocha to assist families,” Ayuso said on X.

400 people on board

Spanish media reports suggested that a total of 400 people were on the two trains.

High-speed services between Madrid and the Andalusian cities of Cordoba, Seville, Malaga and Huelva would be suspended for the entirety of Monday at least, Spain's rail body Adif announced.

Adif said spaces had been set up at stations in Madrid, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga and Huelva to assist the relatives of victims.

The royal palace said on X that King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were following the news "with great concern", offering "our most heartfelt condolences to the relatives and loved ones of the dead, as well as our love and wishes for a swift recovery to the injured".

Spain boasts Europe's largest high-speed rail network, with more than 3,000 kilometres (1,800 miles) of dedicated tracks connecting major cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, and Malaga.