‘Night of deep pain’: Train collision in southern Spain leaves 21 dead

Emergency response teams deploy to assist victims following the high-speed train collision in southern Spain.

A collision between two high-speed trains in southern Spain has killed at least 21 people and “seriously” injured 30, according to officials.

The cause of the crash is not yet known, Spanish Minister of Transport Oscar Puente told reporters at a news conference at Atocha station in Madrid, adding that it was “really strange” that a derailment should have happened on a straight stretch of track. This section of track was renewed in May, he said.

The tail end of an evening train between Malaga and Madrid, with some 300 passengers, went off the rails near Cordoba at 7: 45pm (18: 45 GMT) on Sunday, and slammed into a train with some 200 passengers coming from Madrid to Huelva, another southern Spanish city, according to rail operator ADIF.

Television Espanola, a public broadcaster, reported that the driver of the train travelling from Madrid to Huelva was among those who died, and that a total of 100 people had been injured.

“Thirty injured have been taken to hospitals and are in serious condition,” Puente told reporters on Monday, adding that all the injured have now been evacuated to receive care.

Five mobile intensive care units, four emergency critical care units and numerous ambulances were deployed to the site of the crash, according to Andalusia’s emergency services.

The on-site services were focused on stabilising the injured before transferring them to hospitals, Juanma Moreno, the president of Andalusia’s regional government, wrote on social media late on Sunday.

“Our solidarity and support to all those affected,” he added.

ADIF personnel were also coordinating with emergency services on the ground.