{"id":56009,"date":"2026-01-19T16:51:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T21:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/spanish-pm-vows-to-find-cause-of-deadly-high-speed-train-crash\/19\/01\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T16:51:59","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T21:51:59","slug":"spanish-pm-vows-to-find-cause-of-deadly-high-speed-train-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/spanish-pm-vows-to-find-cause-of-deadly-high-speed-train-crash\/19\/01\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Spanish PM vows to find cause of deadly high-speed train crash"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has promised to get to the bottom of why two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain killing at least 40 people, as rescuers continue to search the wreckage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">After visiting the site of the crash, Sanchez also announced three days of national mourning for victims.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">More than 120 more people were injured as carriages on a Madrid-bound train derailed and crossed over to the opposite tracks, colliding with an oncoming train in Adamuz on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The crash is the worst the country has seen in more than a decade.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Rail network operator Adif said the collision happened at 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT) on Sunday, about an hour after one of the trains left M\u00e1laga heading north to Madrid, when it derailed on a straight stretch of track near the city of C\u00f3rdoba.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The force of the crash pushed the carriages of the second train into an embankment, according to Transport Minister \u00d3scar Puente. He added that most of those killed and injured were in the front carriages of the second train, which was travelling south from Madrid to Huelva.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Rescue teams said the twisted wreckage of the trains made it difficult to recover people trapped inside the carriages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Sanchez visited the site of the crash with senior officials on Monday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;This is a day of sorrow for all of Spain, for our entire country,&#8221; he told reporters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We are going to get to the truth, we are going to find the answer, and when that answer about the origin and cause of this tragedy is known, as it could not be otherwise, with absolute transparency and absolute clarity, we will make it public.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Puente said an investigation could take at least a month, describing the incident as &#8220;extremely strange&#8221;.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Rescuers are still searching the wreckage at the crash site [Reuters]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (centre) arrives with Minister of Transport Oscar Puente (left) and First Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero (right) and other officials at Adamuz. All are wearing high-viz jackets.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Mjcwn7BBIRku7sHNBICUlg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/503125153fe706752f006dd62a5e49bb\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Pedro S\u00e1nchez travelled to Spain to pay tribute to the people killed [EPA]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed source briefed on initial investigations as saying experts had found a faulty joint on the rails, which was causing a gap between rail sections to widen as trains travelled over it. They added that the joint was key to identifying the cause of the accident.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Spain&#8217;s El Pa\u00eds newspaper said it was not clear whether the fault was a cause or a result of the crash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Four hundred passengers and staff were on board the two trains, the rail authorities said. Emergency services treated 122 people, with 41, including children, still in hospital. Of those, 12 are in intensive care.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Puente said the death toll &#8220;is not yet final&#8221;. Officials are working to identify the dead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The type of train involved in the crash was a Freccia 1000, which can reach top speeds of 400 km\/h (250 mph), a spokesperson for the Italian rail company Ferrovie dello Stato told Reuters.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"A map of Spain highlighting a section of the country\u2019s high\u2011speed rail network. A blue line marks the high\u2011speed rail route running between Madrid in central Spain and M\u00e1laga in the south. A red dot marks Adamuz in the province of C\u00f3rdoba near the midpoint of the route, where the two trains collided. &#10;\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"539\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/qVsLmAo7Q3u6TP9WGnbOkg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUzOTtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/63c320e5a9d106d615ea16d37520cec9\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>[BBC]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Salvador Jimenez, a journalist with RTVE who was on one of the trains, said the impact felt like an &#8220;earthquake&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I was in the first carriage. There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake and the train had indeed derailed,&#8221; Jimenez said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Footage from the scene appears to show some train carriages had tipped over on their sides. Rescue workers can be seen scaling the train to pull people out of the lopsided train doors and windows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A Madrid-bound passenger, Jos\u00e9, told public broadcaster Canal Sur: &#8220;There were people and screaming, calling for doctors.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">All high-speed services between Madrid and the southern cities of Malaga, Cordoba, Sevilla and Huelva have been suspended until Friday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia said they were following news of the disaster &#8220;with great concern&#8221; and offered their &#8220;most heartfelt condolences&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The emergency agency in the region of Andalusia urged any crash survivors to contact their families or post on social media that they are alive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Spanish Red Cross has deployed emergency support services to the scene, while also offering counselling to families nearby.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Miguel \u00c1ngel Rodr\u00edguez from the Red Cross told RNE radio: &#8220;The families are going through a situation of great anxiety due to the lack of information. These are very distressing moments.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In 2013, Spain suffered its worst high-speed train derailment in Galicia, north-west Spain, which left 80 people dead and 140 others injured.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Spain&#8217;s high-speed rail network is the second largest in the world, behind China, connecting more than 50 cities across the country. Adif data shows the Spanish rail is more than 4,000km long (2,485 miles).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/spanish-pm-vows-cause-deadly-213011764.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has promised to get to the bottom of why two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain killing<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/spanish-pm-vows-to-find-cause-of-deadly-high-speed-train-crash\/19\/01\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56010,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/7M70CvL3S70PLrB2sB7kiw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD02NzU7Y2Y9d2VicA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/3066a65aab09278274cee9ca2ff701a3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56009"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56009"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56009\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}