Spain has deployed heavy machinery to recover the bodies of missing people amid the wreckage of a fatal train crash that has killed 41 people.
Emergency services used cranes to gain access to the worst-hit carriages on Tuesday as police said they had received 43 missing reports, provisionally matching the reported death toll.
At least three bodies have been seen still trapped in the wreckage two days on from the crash, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told state broadcaster TVE late on Monday.
Technicians investigating the cause of the deadly Spanish train disaster have identified a faulty joint on the rails, a source briefed on the preliminary probe said.
At least 41 people were killed on Sunday evening after a high-speed train derailed and crashed into an oncoming train, pushing it off the tracks near Cordoba. The death toll rose overnight as another body was recovered.
Experts on site identified wear on the joint between sections of the rail, known as a fishplate, which they said showed the fault had been there for some time, the source told Reuters.
They found that the faulty joint created a gap between the rail sections that widened as trains continued to travel on the track, but an official reason is yet to be confirmed.
Key Points
- Death toll rises to 40 as rescuers struggle to retrieve bodies from wreckage
- Crash caused by broken rail track, initial investigations show
- Accident ocurred on section of track renovated in May, says Andalusian president
- Trains collided at over 120mph, say sources
- Mapped: Where did the crash take place?
- PM Sanchez says it is a 'painful day' for Spain
Watch: Aerial footage shows aftermath of fatal Spain train crash that has 'baffled' investigators
14:00 , Maira ButtFull story: What caused the Spain train crash? Authorities investigate ‘extremely strange’ incident that killed 40
13:30 , Maira ButtAt least 40 people were killed and dozens more injured after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening.
The crash happened at 7.45pm local time near Adamuz, a town of about 5,000 people in the province of Córdoba, according to Spain’s interior ministry.
The tail end of a train run by private high-speed rail operator Iryo, travelling from Málaga to Madrid, was derailed and jumped onto an adjacent track, where it smashed into an oncoming Renfe service travelling from Madrid to Huelva, a municipality in Spain. Renfe is Spain's national state-owned railway company.
Stuti Mishra reports:
What caused Spain train crash? Probe launched into ‘strange’ incident that killed 40
Spanish train driver's union warned operator 'daily' of damage to tracks
13:00 , Maira ButtA Spanish train drivers' union warned rail operator Adif of “severe” damage to the rail tracks where the trains collided, according to Reuters who saw a copy of the letter.
In a letter dated last August, the union warned of severe wear and tear on the rail tracks.
Potholes, bumps, and imbalances in overhead power lines were causing frequent breakdowns and damaging the trains, the letter, published on X and verified by a member of union Semaf to Reuters, read, adding drivers had notified the operator "daily" of their concerns but that no action was taken.
Adif did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Trains collided at over 120mph, say sources
12:30 , Maira ButtTwo high-speed trains at the centre of the collision in Spain that killed 39 people, were travelling at over 120mph, sources from the Spanish transport ministry told Sky News.
The Iryo train derailed first and was travelling at around 130mph while the second train was moving at approximately 127mph.
The incident took place in less than 30 seconds.
ICYMI: Crash caused by broken rail track, initial investigations show
12:00 , Maira ButtExperts studying the crash site found a broken joint on the rails, which created a gap between the rail sections that widened as trains continued to travel on the track, according to a source briefed on initial investigations.
That faulty joint could prove important in identifying the cause of the accident, the source said.
Ignacio Barron, head of Spain's Commission of Investigation of Rail Accidents (CIAF), said on RTVE: "What always plays a part in a derailment is the interaction between the track and the vehicle, and that is what the commission is currently (looking into)."
The Iryo train was travelling at 110 kph from Malaga to Madrid when it derailed, Renfe President Álvaro Fernandez Heredia said on radio station Cadena Ser.
Twenty seconds later, the second train, heading to Huelva at 200 kph, either collided with the final two carriages of the Iryo train or with debris on the line, he said. The Iryo train lost a wheel that has not yet been located.
In pictures: Rescue and investigation work continues as death toll rises
11:30 , Maira Butt
Spain begins 3 days of mourning for deadly train wreck while searchers look for more bodies
11:00 , Maira ButtSpain woke to flags at half staff on Tuesday as the nation began three days of mourning for the victims of the deadly train accident in the country’s south, while emergency crews continue searching for possible bodies.
The official death toll of Sunday’s accident rose to 40 by late Monday. But officials warned that that count may not be definitive, with emergency workers still probing for bodies among what Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno called “a twisted mass of metal.”
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told Spanish national television RTVE late Monday that searchers believe they have found three more bodies still trapped in the wreckage. Those bodies are not included in the official count, the minister said.
Spain begins 3 days of mourning for deadly train wreck while searchers look for more bodies
Watch: Rescue efforts and investigation continue after train crash in Spain
10:24 , Maira ButtPolice have received 43 missing person reports
09:45 , Maira ButtAt least 43 people have been reported missing as families search for their loved ones.
Twelve people remain in intensive care.
Death toll rises as Spain deploys heavy machinery to find missing bodies among wreckage
09:30 , Maira ButtEmergency services in crane have used cranes to find missing bodies among the wreckage of a fatal train crash that marks the worse rail incident in Europe in 80 years.
At least 41 people have been killed in the high-speed collision that took place on Sunday. Another body was found overnight as rescue operations continued.
In pictures: Site of deadly crash as rescue and investigation continues
09:02 , Maira Butt
Deadly wreck is the first blight on Spain's leading high-speed rail service
09:00 , Maira ButtThe deadly train wreck in southern Spain has cast a pall over one of the nation’s symbols of success.
The collision Sunday killed at least 40 people and injured dozens more, according to officials as of Monday night.
Here's a look at the history of a rail network that became a crown jewel of contemporary Spain, by the numbers.
Deadly wreck is the first blight on Spain's leading high-speed rail service
Mapped: Where did the crash take place?
08:30 , Maira ButtThe accident took place near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360 km (223 miles) south of Madrid, according to emergency services. Experts studying the crash site say a faulty rail joint may be key to determining the cause of the crash.
The collision occurred in a hilly, olive-growing region which could only be accessed by a single-track road, making it difficult for ambulances to enter and exit, Iñigo Vila, national emergency director at the Spanish Red Cross, told Reuters.
Rescue efforts continue as families search for loved ones
08:00 , Maira ButtEmergency services continue to look through the wreckage of the train crash on Tuesday.
There were a total of 400 passengers across both trains at the time of the collision.
An investigation into the cause remains ongoing as a gap in the track was identified as a possible source of the issue.
Death toll rises to 40 as rescuers struggle to retrieve bodies from wreckage
07:30 , Maira ButtThe death toll following a high-speed collision between two trains has been increased to 40, marking one of the worst railway accidents Europe has seen in 80 years.
Twelve were in intensive care after the accident near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360 km (223 miles) south of Madrid, according to emergency services.
A total of 43 reports of missing persons have been filed so far at police headquarters in Huelva, Madrid, Málaga, Córdoba and Seville, officials said.
The Andalusia region's president Juan Manuel Moreno said emergency crews faced difficulties bringing in the heavy equipment needed to lift the wreckage and reach those still lying beneath it.
Experts say a faulty rail joint might be key to determining the cause of the crash.
How safe is high-speed rail travel?
07:00 , Namita SinghSpain has the finest high-speed rail network in Europe. But on Sunday evening, 18 January, dozens of passengers were killed when an Iryo train from Malaga to Madrid derailed and collided with a Renfe Madrid to Huelva express at Adamuz in the southern province of Andalusia.
The tragedy will raise concerns among prospective travellers about the safety of high-speed trains, writes our travel correspondent Simon Calder, as he raises key questions and answers.
Authorities fear death toll could still rise
06:30 , Namita SinghAt least 40 people have died in a high-speed train collision in southern Spain on Sunday, Spanish police said.
Video and photos showed twisted train carriages lying on their sides under floodlights.
Transport minister Oscar Puente said the death toll was not final.Spanish police said 159 people were injured, of whom five were in critical condition.
A further 24 were in serious condition, authorities said.
Spanish prime minister declares three days of mourning
06:00 , Namita SinghPrime minister Pedro Sanchez declared three days of national mourning for the crash victims.
"Today is a day of pain for all of Spain," Mr Sanchez said on a visit to Adamuz, where many locals helped emergency services handle the influx of passengers overnight.
Officials hone in on stretch of track in search for cause of crash
05:31 , Namita SinghIgnacio Barron, head of Spain's Commission of Investigation of Rail Accidents, says investigators are looking into the interaction between the train and the stretch of track in question as they narrow down on the cause of the deadly crash.
Speaking to RTVE, Barron said: "What always plays a part in a derailment is the interaction between the track and the vehicle, and that is what the commission is currently (looking into)."
Sunday's crash involved an Iryo train travelling at 110kmph from Malaga to Madrid when it derailed.
Twenty seconds later, a second train heading from Madrid to Huelva at a little over 200kmph either collided with the final two carriages of the Iryo train or with debris on the line, Renfe president Álvaro Fernandez Heredia said on radio station Cadena Ser.
The Iryo train lost a wheel that has not yet been located.
Remote location complicates rescue
05:00 , Namita SinghThe train collision on Sunday occurred in a hilly, olive-growing region accessible only by a single-track road, making it difficult for ambulances to reach the area, the national emergency director at the Spanish Red Cross told Reuters.
The Andalusia region's president Juan Manuel Moreno said emergency crews had faced difficulties bringing in the heavy equipment needed to lift the wreckage and reach those still lying beneath it.
Police drone footage showed how the trains, which were carrying 527 people, came to a standstill 500 metres apart. One train's carriage was split in two, and the locomotive was crushed like a tin can.
Faulty rail joint eyed as cause of deadly crash
04:00 , Namita SinghInvestigators are focusing on a defective rail joint as a possible cause of the collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain.
The accident occurred at about 7.45pm on Sunday when the rear of a Malaga-to-Madrid service left the tracks and struck a train travelling in the opposite direction from Madrid to Huelva.
Officials examining the site found signs of long-term wear on the connection between sections of rail, known as a fishplate, according to a source briefed on the inquiry.
The worn joint is believed to have opened a gap between the rails that gradually widened as trains continued to pass over the line. The stretch of track had been refurbished in May as part of a €700m (£608m) upgrade.
Technicians involved in the investigation consider the fault central to establishing the precise sequence of events that led to the crash.
The Malaga-bound train, operated by Spanish company Iryo, initially crossed the damaged section without incident. However, the eighth and final carriage derailed after reaching the gap, pulling the seventh and sixth carriages off the track as well, the source said.
Officials rule out high speed as cause of crash
03:43 , Namita SinghAuthorities are yet to establish an official cause of the crash, as the president of Renfe ruled out the possibility of human error or excessive speed as the cause.
The speed limit on the track is 250kmph while the trains were travelling at 110kmph and 200kmph when they collided.
At least 40 killed in train accident in south of Spain
03:30 , Namita SinghAt least 40 people have died and 12 are in intensive care unit after Sunday night's train crash in Spain, making it one of the worst railway accidents in Europe in 80 years.
Twelve remain in intensive care after the accident near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360km south of Madrid, according to emergency services.
A total of 43 missing-person reports have been filed so far at police headquarters in Huelva, Madrid, Málaga, Córdoba, and Seville, officials said.
'My father is my life': Man searches for father in hospitals
03:01 , Alex CroftGraham Keeley reports from Madrid:
Alvaro Gallardo, like many other desperate relatives, took to social media, to try to reach his father - or anyone else who might know his fate.
He posted on X: “We've been trying to contact my father since 9 PM; his name is Andrés Gallardo Vaz, he was on the train heading to Huelva. I beg you, if you see him or know anything about him, please let us know.”
Gallardo was still trying to reach him when The Independent spoke to him on Monday.
“We have been going around the hospitals but without any luck. My father was travelling back to Huelva last night. My father is my life,” he said, breaking down.
Spain train crash victims recall harrowing scenes: ‘All I heard was screams’
02:01 , Alex CroftVictims of a high speed train crash in Spain have described the harrowing scenes they endured after the wreck that killed at least 40 people, one of the worst railway accidents in Europe in 80 years.
Read more here:
Spain train crash survivors describe harrowing scenes: ‘All I heard was screams’
Inside Spain's high-speed rail network... and its problems
01:02 , James ReynoldsSpain's high-speed railway network, with 3,622 km of tracks, is the largest in Europe and the second-biggest in the world after China, according to state-owned rail infrastructure administrator ADIF.
ADIF has previously reported problems with infrastructure at Adamuz, from signalling failures to issues with overhead power lines, that caused delays to high-speed trains between Madrid and Andalusia 10 times since 2022.
The government was criticised last year for a series of delays on the network, caused by power outages and the theft of copper cables from the lines. The network is vulnerable to cable thefts as it crosses large swathes of empty countryside.
Spain opened up its high-speed rail network to private competition in 2020 in a bid to offer low-cost alternatives to Renfe's AVE trains.
Transport Minister Oscar Puente said that the Iryo - which derailed - was less than four years old and that the railway track had been completely renovated last May with an investment of 700 million euros ($813.5 million). Iryo said the train was last inspected on January 15.
Iryo is a joint venture between Italian state railway operator Ferrovie dello Stato, airline Air Nostrum and Spanish infrastructure investment fund Globalvia.
It began operating in November 2022, starting with the Madrid-Barcelona route and expanding to other major cities.
Aerial footage shows aftermath of fatal Spain train crash that has 'baffled' investigators
00:01 , Alex CroftHigh speed line won't be restored until February, says transport minister
Monday 19 January 2026 23:00 , Alex CroftThe high-speed rail line connecting Madrid with Andalusia will not be restored until Friday 2 February, the transport minister Oscar Puente has said according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.
While work is ongoing to restore normal service in the area, rail operator Renfe has launched an alternative transport plan.
Accident took place on straight section of track renovated in May, says Andalusian president
Monday 19 January 2026 22:15 , Alex CroftAndalusia’s president, Juan Manuel Moreno, described the incident as "extremely strange” during a visit to the scene in Puente on Sunday, according to El Pais.
Speaking before initial investigations showed a broken joint on the rails caused the crash, Mr Moreno said that the accident was unusual given that it occurred on a straight section of track that had been renovated in May.
He expressed confidence that an investigation would clarify the causes.
Crash caused by broken rail track, initial investigations show
Monday 19 January 2026 22:12 , Alex CroftExperts studying the crash site found a broken joint on the rails, which created a gap between the rail sections that widened as trains continued to travel on the track, according to a source briefed on initial investigations.
That faulty joint could prove important in identifying the cause of the accident, the source said.
Ignacio Barron, head of Spain's Commission of Investigation of Rail Accidents (CIAF), said on RTVE: "What always plays a part in a derailment is the interaction between the track and the vehicle, and that is what the commission is currently (looking into)."
The Iryo train was travelling at 110 kph from Malaga to Madrid when it derailed, Renfe President Álvaro Fernandez Heredia said on radio station Cadena Ser.
Twenty seconds later, the second train, heading to Huelva at 200 kph, either collided with the final two carriages of the Iryo train or with debris on the line, he said. The Iryo train lost a wheel that has not yet been located.
Death toll rises to 40 as rescuers struggle to retrieve bodies from wreckage
Monday 19 January 2026 22:01 , Alex CroftThe death toll following a high-speed collision between two trains has been increased to 40, marking one of the worst railway accidents Europe has seen in 80 years.
Twelve were in intensive care after the accident near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360 km (223 miles) south of Madrid, according to emergency services.
A total of 43 reports of missing persons have been filed so far at police headquarters in Huelva, Madrid, Málaga, Córdoba and Seville, officials said.
The Andalusia region's president Juan Manuel Moreno said emergency crews faced difficulties bringing in the heavy equipment needed to lift the wreckage and reach those still lying beneath it.
Experts say a faulty rail joint might be key to determining the cause of the crash.
Inspection of Iryo train last week found no anomalies, source says
Monday 19 January 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsA source told Reuters today that an inspection last week of the Iryo train that derailed found no anomalies.
A source also said that technicians are investigating damage to a joint on the track, which they believe is key to understanding the cause of the accident.
The joint damage had likely been around for some time, the source indicated, citing the technical inspection.
Read the latest:
Spanish rail operator was warned of ‘severe wear and tear’ before crash killed 39
Survivors of Spanish train crash describe horrific wait for help
Monday 19 January 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsSurvivors of the deadly train crash in southern Spain have described their horrific wait for help on Sunday after the trains derailed.
Ana Garcia Aranda, 26, who was travelling to Madrid from Malaga with her sister and their dog, said: “The train tipped to one side ... then everything went dark, and all I heard was screams.”
"There were people who were fine and others who were very, very badly injured. You had them right in front of you, and you knew they were going to die, and you couldn't do anything," she said.
Salvador Jiménez, a journalist with public broadcaster RTVE who was on board the train from Málaga to Madrid, said the impact felt “like an earthquake”.
“I was in the first carriage. There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake and the train had indeed derailed,” he said.
Rocio, a survivor currently in hospital in Cordoba, was travelling on the route from Madrid to Huelva when they struck the derailed train.
"It was total chaos. I am under observation because of the blows to my head and the vomiting. My ribs are not broken, just dislodged," she told El País.
"I am covered in bruises and cuts. It was terrible. We were thrown through the air. Thank God I am okay but there are people who are far worse off than me."
Mapped: Where did the crash take place?
Monday 19 January 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsAt least 39 people died in southern Spain after a high-speed train derailed and collided with an oncoming one on Sunday night in one of the worst railway accidents in Europe in the past 80 years.
Twelve were in intensive care after the accident near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360 km (223 miles) south of Madrid, according to emergency services. Experts studying the crash site say a faulty rail joint may be key to determining the cause of the crash.
The collision occurred in a hilly, olive-growing region which could only be accessed by a single-track road, making it difficult for ambulances to enter and exit, Iñigo Vila, national emergency director at the Spanish Red Cross, told Reuters.
Europe’s deadliest train accidents in recent years as dozens killed in Spanish crash
Monday 19 January 2026 18:10 , Maira ButtA high-speed train derailment in southern Spain has claimed at least 39 lives and left more than 150 people injured, authorities have confirmed.
Rail travel is a common, affordable, and convenient mode of transport for many across Europe.
Despite a reported decrease in major railway accidents since 2010, according to the European Union, this catastrophe serves as a grim reminder of how deadly they can be, echoing past incidents across the continent.
Here is a look at some of the most deadly train, tram and subway crashes in Europe in recent years.
Europe’s deadliest train accidents in recent years as dozens killed in Spanish crash
Macron says 'France stands by your side'
Monday 19 January 2026 17:40 , Maira ButtFrench president Emmanuel Macron has shared his condolences with those affected by the Spanish train crash.
“A railway tragedy strikes Andalusia. Thoughts for the victims, their families, and all the Spanish people. France is by your side,” he wrote in a post on X/Twitter.
Trains collided at over 120mph, say sources
Monday 19 January 2026 17:10 , Maira ButtTwo high-speed trains at the centre of the collision in Spain that killed 39 people, were travelling at over 120mph, sources from the Spanish transport ministry told Sky News.
The Iryo train derailed first and was travelling at around 130mph while the second train was moving at approximately 127mph.
The incident took place in less than 30 seconds.
Full story: Spanish rail operator was warned of ‘severe wear and tear’ on tracks before horror crash killed at least 39
Monday 19 January 2026 16:40 , Maira ButtSpanish rail operator ADIF was warned about “severe wear and tear” on high-speed rail tracks last year, before a horrific collision killed at least 39 people on Sunday.
The SEMAF train drivers’ union wrote to the state-owned infrastructure manager in August to caution the operator about potholes, bumps and imbalances in overhead power lines that it said were causing frequent breakdowns and damaging trains.
The letter warned about damage on one of the tracks where two trains collided yesterday evening near Cordoba. It added that drivers had told the operator of their concerns “daily” but that no action had been taken.
Drivers had urged the operator to implement a maximum speed of 250kph (155mph) on damaged lines until the state of the network rail was improved.
A source briefed on the initial investigations into the disaster said today that experts had found a broken joint on the rails. Technicians on site identified wear on the joint between sections of the rail, known as a fishplate, which they said showed the fault had been there for some time, the source said.
James C Reynolds reports:
Spanish rail operator was warned of ‘severe wear and tear’ before crash killed 39
What caused the Spain train crash? Authorities investigate ‘extremely strange’ incident that killed 39
Monday 19 January 2026 16:10 , Maira ButtAt least 39 people were killed and dozens more injured after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening.
The crash happened at 7.45pm local time near Adamuz, a town of about 5,000 people in the province of Córdoba, according to Spain’s interior ministry.
The tail end of a train run by private high-speed rail operator Iryo, travelling from Málaga to Madrid, was derailed and jumped onto an adjacent track, where it smashed into an oncoming Renfe service travelling from Madrid to Huelva, a municipality in Spain. Renfe is Spain's national state-owned railway company.
What caused Spain train crash? Probe launched into ‘strange’ incident that killed 39
In pictures: New images show scale of devastation
Monday 19 January 2026 15:40 , Maira Butt
Spain train crash: How safe is high-speed rail travel?
Monday 19 January 2026 15:10 , Maira ButtSpain has the finest high-speed rail network in Europe. But on Sunday evening, 18 January, dozens of passengers were killed when an Iryo train from Malaga to Madrid derailed and collided with a Renfe Madrid to Huelva express at Adamuz in the southern province of Andalusia.
The tragedy will raise concerns among prospective travellers about the safety of high-speed trains. These are the key questions and answers.
Mapped: Where the high-speed train collision in Spain took place
Monday 19 January 2026 14:45 , Maira ButtA high-speed passenger train derailed in southern Spain on Sunday evening and struck an oncoming service, forcing the second train off the tracks and down an embankment and killing at least 21 people.
The collision occurred near the town of Adamuz, in Córdoba province, roughly 360km south of Madrid. Emergency services said the crash happened at 7.45pm, around 10 minutes after an Iryo-operated train left Córdoba heading towards the capital.
According to Adif, the state body that manages Spain’s rail infrastructure, the Malaga-to-Madrid Iryo service derailed and crossed onto the neighbouring line, where it hit a Renfe train travelling from Madrid to Huelva. The impact derailed the Renfe service, sending its front carriages down the side of the railway embankment.
Namita Singh reports:
Mapped: Where the high-speed train collision in Spain took place
'My father is my life': Man searches for father in hospitals
Monday 19 January 2026 14:15 , Graham Keeley (in Madrid)Alvaro Gallardo, like many other desperate relatives, took to social media, to try to reach his father - or anyone else who might know his fate.
He posted on X: “We've been trying to contact my father since 9 PM; his name is Andrés Gallardo Vaz, he was on the train heading to Huelva. I beg you, if you see him or know anything about him, please let us know.”
Gallardo was still trying to reach him when The Independent spoke to him on Monday.
“We have been going around the hospitals but without any luck. My father was travelling back to Huelva last night. My father is my life,” he said, breaking down.
Man lost 'four family members' in crash
Monday 19 January 2026 13:45 , Graham Keeley (in Madrid)One man, who did not want to give his name, said he had lost four family members. “I have been travelling round hospitals trying to get information about my family but then I was told the bad news. It was too much to bear.”
Ana, who was tearful and her face was covered in plasters, said: “There were people who were in a very bad shape. They were right in front of you and you knew they were slipping away but there was nothing you could do.”
She had been travelling with her sister on the train from Malaga to Madrid when the crash took place.
Three days of national mourning to be held for victims of incident
Monday 19 January 2026 13:33 , Maira ButtPM Pedro Sanchez has announced three days of national mourning across the country in honour of the victims of the incident.
The mourning will begin at midnight tonight.
At least 39 people have been killed and 48 people remain in hospital.
PM Sanchez says it is a 'painful day' for Spain
Monday 19 January 2026 13:31 , Maira ButtSpain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez has said it is a “painful day” for the country.
He has thanked emergency services, medics and national government in the aftermath of the incident.
“We will get to the truth, we will find the answers,” he says. “We will inform you clearly and in full transparency and we will make that information available to the public. In the meantime, I can guarantee to the victims and their families, we will protect you. We will assist and support you in any way you need, for as long as you need.”
Train crash is an 'unprecedented' disaster
Monday 19 January 2026 13:28 , Maira ButtEmergency services are holding a press conference right now. The train crash is an “unprecedented disaster”, they say.
The needs of the incident are “beyond our capacity”, they say.
There are 48 people in hospital “and growing”.
EU Commission president shares condolences with families of victims
Monday 19 January 2026 13:25 , Maira ButtEuropean Union Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has shared her condolences with those affected by the deadly crash.
“I have received the terrible news from Cordoba,” she wrote in a post on X/Twitter.
“My deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of the railway accident and to the Spanish people. I wish the injured a swift and full recovery. Tonight you are in my thoughts.”
Watch: Aerial footage shows aftermath of fatal Spain train crash that has 'baffled' investigators
Monday 19 January 2026 12:40 , Maira ButtRescue mission 'complicated' by remote location, says Red Cross
Monday 19 January 2026 12:25 , Maira ButtThe remote location of the crash complicated rescue operations, according to the Red Cross.
The site can only be accessed by a single-track road that makes it difficult for ambulances to enter and exit, national emergency director at the Spanish Red Cross, Iñigo Vila, told Reuters.
Spanish train driver's union warned operator 'daily' of damage to tracks
Monday 19 January 2026 12:00 , Maira ButtA Spanish train drivers' union warned rail operator Adif of “severe” damage to the rail tracks where the trains collided, according to Reuters who saw a copy of the letter.
In a letter dated last August, the union warned of severe wear and tear on the rail tracks.
Potholes, bumps, and imbalances in overhead power lines were causing frequent breakdowns and damaging the trains, the letter, published on X and verified by a member of union Semaf to Reuters, read, adding drivers had notified the operator "daily" of their concerns but that no action was taken.
Adif did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Trains collided at over 120mph, say sources
Monday 19 January 2026 11:35 , Maira ButtTwo high-speed trains at the centre of the collision in Spain that killed 39 people, were travelling at over 120mph, sources from the Spanish transport ministry told Sky News.
The Iryo train derailed first and was travelling at around 130mph while the second train was moving at approximately 127mph.
The incident took place in less than 30 seconds.
Watch: Footage from inside Spain’s high-speed train crash shows passengers trying to escape mangled carriages
Monday 19 January 2026 11:14 , Maira ButtHolly Bishop reports:
Video from inside a derailed high-speed train captures passengers waiting to escape after a fatal crash that has claimed at least 39 lives.
The train travelling from Malaga to Madrid derailed and crashed onto the neighbouring track, colliding with an oncoming train in Adamuz, Spain on Sunday (18 January).
Eyewitness footage taken from inside one of the trains shows standing passengers waiting to be evacuated from the mangled wreckage.
There were around 300 passengers on board the two trains and dozens were injured in the incident, in Spain’s worst train crash in over a decade.
'The mobile phones of the dead would not stop ringing': Firefighters describe 'total chaos'
Monday 19 January 2026 11:00 , Graham Keeley (in Madrid)Firefighters who reached the scene of the rail crash last night told of the scene of “chaos”.
“When we arrived, there were bodies scattered about. People screaming and total chaos. The mobile phones of the dead would not stop ringing,” said one firefighter, who was visibly shaken by the scene which greeted him.
Spanish civil guard sets up offices for families with missing loved ones
Monday 19 January 2026 10:45 , Maira ButtSpain’s Civil Guard has set up three offices across the region to help victims’ families help identify them.
At least 39 people have been confirmed dead with dozens more injured, some critically.
Relatives have been told to file reports and provide DNA samples at offices in Huelva, Malaga and Madrid in order to help with the identification process.
