Survivors Recount Horrors of Southern Spain Train Crash

Tragedy Strikes Near Córdoba

A violent jolt shattered the Sunday evening calm. Then, screams erupted, objects flew through the air, and darkness enveloped the carriages.

This sequence of terror is how survivors describe the moment two trains collided near Adamuz, Córdoba, in southern Spain.

The high-speed crash, the country’s deadliest in over a decade, killed at least 39 people and injured 122 others.

Survivors’ Harrowing Accounts of the Impact

Initially, many passengers were unaware of the disaster’s scale. Most realized the severity only after escaping the wreckage and witnessing injured passengers and rescuers working under floodlights.

 

“I started to get up and thought, this isn’t normal. Then I looked for my sister. That’s the last thing I remember before everything went dark,” said 26-year-old Ana Garcia Aranda. Other passengers later pulled her from the wreckage.

Similarly, another passenger described the chaotic moments.

“The train tipped to one side, then everything went dark, and all I heard was screams,” one woman told reporters. Lucas Meriako, another passenger, felt a massive jolt.

The impact threw people to the floor and shattered windows, which survivors then smashed to escape.

Community and Emergency Response Mobilizes

Following the collision, the quiet town of Adamuz transformed into a hub of urgent activity. Emergency vehicles flooded narrow roads, their sirens echoing through the night.

Importantly, local residents quickly mobilized, bringing water, blankets, and food to stranded and shocked passengers.

“Our town had never seen a tragedy like this,“ said one local farmer.

 

Meanwhile, emergency services treated 122 people at the scene. Officials confirm 48 individuals, including five children, remain hospitalized, with 12 in intensive care.

Relatives of missing passengers have begun circulating photos on social media and visiting hospitals in a desperate search for loved ones.

Leadership Vows Transparency and Declares National Mourning

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived at the crash site, declaring three days of national mourning. He called for unity and vowed to find the cause of the accident with “absolute transparency.”

This pledge comes amid Spain’s politically charged climate, where the government has faced criticism in past crises for a lack of immediate clarity.

Additionally, the president of state rail operator Renfe has preliminarily discounted excessive speed or human error as causes. However, the official investigation into the derailment is ongoing.

In response to the tragedy, Renfe has suspended high-speed services between Madrid and Andalusia until Friday and is arranging alternative travel solutions.

A Long Road to Recovery

Ultimately, the physical and emotional scars will linger long after the wreckage is cleared. Survivor Paqui, a local farmer who rushed to help, recalls the horrific scenes.

“Pieces of people… My husband saw a child who died inside… another child calling for his mother,” she said.

“I can’t sleep, those are images that stay with you.”

As Spain unites in grief, the nation now seeks answers, healing, and a path forward from this profound tragedy. The images of the crash site and the stories of those who lived through it will not soon be forgotten.