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.