At least 39 people have died and dozens more have been injured after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain, the country's Civil Guard has said. The incident near the city of Córdoba has been described by local officials as Spain's worst rail crash in more than a decade. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to visit the scene later on Monday, where rescue efforts are ongoing.
The crash occurred at around 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT) on Sunday, about an hour after one of the trains departed Málaga for Madrid. The train derailed and crossed over to the opposite track, operator Adif said. It then collided with an oncoming train travelling from south Madrid to Huelva, which was forced into an embankment running alongside the track, Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente said on Sunday. The majority of those killed and injured were in the front carriages of the Huelva-bound train, he added.
What caused the train to derail remains unclear. Officials say an investigation has been launched but it is not expected to determine what happened for at least a month. Puente described the crash as extremely strange and said experts are baffled by the accident. Renfe's president has ruled out excessive speed or human error as causes.
There were around 400 passengers and staff on the two trains. It is not clear if there are still people trapped inside the carriages, but rescue teams are on site. Emergency services are waiting for heavy machinery to lift parts of the second train, which has suffered significant damage.
As of midday on Monday, 112 people had received medical assistance, with 43 remaining hospitalized, including minors and adults requiring intensive care. Passengers described the impact as feeling like an earthquake, with vivid accounts of the chaos that ensued.
The crash occurred at around 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT) on Sunday, about an hour after one of the trains departed Málaga for Madrid. The train derailed and crossed over to the opposite track, operator Adif said. It then collided with an oncoming train travelling from south Madrid to Huelva, which was forced into an embankment running alongside the track, Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente said on Sunday. The majority of those killed and injured were in the front carriages of the Huelva-bound train, he added.
What caused the train to derail remains unclear. Officials say an investigation has been launched but it is not expected to determine what happened for at least a month. Puente described the crash as extremely strange and said experts are baffled by the accident. Renfe's president has ruled out excessive speed or human error as causes.
There were around 400 passengers and staff on the two trains. It is not clear if there are still people trapped inside the carriages, but rescue teams are on site. Emergency services are waiting for heavy machinery to lift parts of the second train, which has suffered significant damage.
As of midday on Monday, 112 people had received medical assistance, with 43 remaining hospitalized, including minors and adults requiring intensive care. Passengers described the impact as feeling like an earthquake, with vivid accounts of the chaos that ensued.
