On Sunday evening, two high-speed trains collided near Adamuz, in the province of Cordoba, Andalusia, killing at least 41 people. The accident occurred around 19:45 p.m. on a recently renovated straight section of the railway, involving an Iryo train from Malaga and a Renfe Alvia train traveling in the opposite direction. The Iryo train derailed before hitting the other train, causing an extremely violent impact.
The Interior Minister rules out any criminal involvement
On Tuesday, the Spanish Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, ruled out any possibility of sabotage. "The possibility of sabotage was never considered. From the beginning, we talked about technical issues related to rail transport."he stated, specifying that"There has never been the slightest element that would suggest it.".
Technical causes considered
Political leaders and railway operators are primarily citing technical failures or infrastructure problems. The president of Renfe described the accident as"extremely strange" due to the fact that the train traveled on a straight and recently renovated section of track. The Minister of Transport emphasized that the train speeds at the time of the collision, which were below the permitted limits, make excessive speed unlikely.
A still provisional assessment
The Andalusian regional president stated that the exact number of victims could be confirmed within 24 to 48 hours, as rescue operations continue. Teams are using heavy machinery to extract trapped bodies and facilitate searches in an area difficult to access due to the rugged terrain.
The Spanish government has declared three days of national mourning. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez assured that the investigation would be conducted with "absolute transparency" and that its findings would be made public as soon as possible. The royal family visited the scene to express their support for the victims and their families, while investigators continue to explore all technical leads.
