Killed, dozens injured after two high-speed trains collide in Spain

Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente said after midnight that at least 21 people have been confirmed dead in the devastating train collision in southern Spain, adding that rescue teams had evacuated all survivors. However, he cautioned that the final toll could still rise as authorities continue to verify casualties.

Puente said the cause of the crash remains unclear, describing it as "a truly strange" incident as it occurred on a flat stretch of track that was renovated as recently as May. He also noted that the train which derailed and crossed onto the opposite track, was less than four years old.

The derailed train was operated by private rail company Iryo, while the oncoming train that bore the brunt of the impact belonged to Spain's state-run rail operator Renfe.

In a statement, Iryo said it "deeply lamented what has happened" and confirmed that it is fully cooperating with authorities to manage the situation and support the investigation.

How did the accident happen?

According to Puente, the back part of the first train derailed and crashed into the head of the other train, knocking its first two carriages off the track and down a four-meter (13-foot) slope. He said the worst damage was to that front section of the Renfe train.

Francisco Carmona, the firefighter chief of Cordoba, told Spanish national radio RNE that one of the trains was badly mangled, with at least four wagons off the rails.

Andalusia's regional health chief Antonio Sanz said that 73 injured passengers have been taken to six different hospitals.  

The situation at the crash site "is very serious," Sanz said. "We have a very difficult night ahead."

According to reports, passengers used emergency hammers to break the windows, and that some had walked away without serious injuries. Videos from people on site show some people crawling out of windows at some points to escape the wreckage with carriages leaning at an angle.

The incident occurred in the early evening, and hundreds of survivors had to be rescued in the darkness.

The regional Civil Protection chief, María Belen Moya Rojas, told Canal Sur the accident happened in an area that is hard to reach.

Local people were taking blankets and water to the scene to help the victims, she said.

High-speed trains, running on an extensive national network, are a popular way to travel in Spain.

Spain's military emergency relief units joined the deployment of other rescue units. The Red Cross also provided support to healthcare officials.

European Commission President  expresses grief 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X that she was following "the terrible news" from Cordoba. "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," she wrote in Spanish.

ADIF said train services between Madrid and cities in Andalusia would not run on Monday.