Two trains collided on Sunday in southern Spain, killing at least 40 people and leaving dozens more hospitalized.
Around 7:45 p.m. local time, a northbound train to Madrid, operated by Iryo, a private company, derailed in Adamuz on its way from Málaga. Seconds later, it crashed with a southbound train from Madrid to Huelva, operated by Renfe, Spain’s state-owned rail operator.
Overview of the key locations
Before the collision, the two trains were running in opposite directions on parallel tracks. The derailment happened on a straight portion of the track.
Here’s how the crash unfolded:
The mayor of Adamuz described the crash scene as “utter chaos,” and said the town’s residents had used their cars as makeshift ambulances and brought food, water, tools and blankets to the site.
About 300 passengers were aboard the Iryo train, according to its operator. Renfe has not said how many passengers it was carrying.
The crash was the deadliest in Spain since at least 2013, and Spain’s transport minister warned that the death toll was “not final.”
The cause of the accident was not immediately clear. Neither train was speeding, according to officials, and investigators said the crash did not appear to be the result of human error or a signaling problem. Initial questions have centered on whether the condition of the track played a role.
Spain’s minister of transportation said that investigators were looking into whether a break in a section of the track was “the cause or the consequences” of the derailment.
Much of Spain’s high-speed rail network connecting Madrid and cities in southern Spain was suspended Monday. Opened in 1992, Spain’s high-speed rail network is the largest in Europe, connecting more than 50 cities over 2,468 miles of track.
