Death toll rises to 45 in Spain’s Andalusia train collision

The death toll from a devastating train collision in southern Spain has risen to 45, regional authorities in Andalusia said on January 22, after rescuers recovered the final two victims who had been missing.

The deadly accident occurred on January 18 near Adamuz in Córdoba province, when an Iryo high-speed train traveling from Málaga to Madrid derailed, with its rear carriages crossing onto the opposite track. Moments later, a Renfe Alvia train traveling from Madrid to Huelva collided with the derailed carriages, causing catastrophic damage, Caliber.Az reports via Spanish media. 

At the time of the crash, the Iryo train was carrying approximately 300 passengers, while the Alvia train had 184 on board. The impact left nearly 300 people injured, many requiring hospitalisattion, with dozens in critical condition.

Rescue teams, comprising 200 specialists, worked around the clock to remove the carriages from the tracks and locate victims. The final two bodies recovered were the last individuals reported missing, bringing closure to the intensive search effort.

The tragedy follows another rail accident in Spain just two days later. On January 20, a commuter train on the Rodalies de Catalunya network derailed near Gelida, outside Barcelona, after a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks, likely due to heavy rainfall. The accident claimed the life of a trainee driver and injured at least 37 passengers.

By Sabina Mammadli