At least ten dead after high-speed trains collide in southern Spain

Emergency services said the collision killed five people and severely injured 25. Picture AP Photo/Manu Mielniezuk

Two high-speed trains have derailed in southern Spain, the rail network operator Iryo has said, with police saying 10 people have died.

Reports from the country’s state-owned broadcaster said that 100 people have been injured, 25 seriously.

The accident happened near Adamuz in the province of Córdoba. An unknown number of passengers had been injured, RTVE said, citing civil guard sources.

“The Iryo 6189 Málaga [to Madrid] train has derailed from the track at Adamuz, crashing on to the adjacent track. The [Madrid] to Huelva train, which was travelling on the adjacent track, has also derailed,” Adif, which runs the rail network, said in a social media post.

Passengers wait in the hall of Madrid train station on Sunday, January 18, 2026, following the announcement of the suspension of service due to an accident in which two trains derailed in Cordoba. Picture: Carlos Luján/Europa Press via AP

Adif said the accident happened about 10 minutes after the Iryo train left Málaga heading towards Madrid at 6.40pm (17.40 GMT).

Iryo is an Italian-run private rail operator. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Adif has suspended all rail services between Madrid and Andalucía.

Andalucía emergency services said on social media that all rail traffic had been halted and emergency services were on their way, including at least nine ambulances and emergency support vehicles.

Salvador Jiménez, a journalist for RTVE who was on board the train from Córdoba to Madrid, shared images showing the rear carriage of the train lying on its side, with evacuated passengers sitting on the side of the carriage.