Spain faces railway safety crisis after accident that claims 45 lives in Adamuz

The final death toll from the train accident that occurred last Sunday in Andalusia has risen to 45 fatalities, following the identification of the two latest bodies recovered from the wreckage of the collision between two trains. Forensic experts completed autopsies on all the victims, confirmed the Disaster Information Center (CID) during the Thursday night. “Currently, there are no pending identifications that have been searched for by the families,” stated Colonel Fernando Domínguez, head of Criminalistics of the Civil Guard, at a press conference.

The tragedy ranks as the worst in Spanish railway history since 2013, when a derailment near Santiago de Compostela caused 80 deaths. The last carriages of Iryo, an Italian private railway operator, derailed in Adamuz (Córdoba) while on the Málaga-Madrid route. Two of its cars ended up on the adjacent track just as a Renfe train, the Spanish public company, was passing in the opposite direction from Madrid to Huelva, resulting in the collision.

Infrastructure and Maintenance Focused Investigation

Experts initially rule out excessive speed or human error as causes. “We are facing a very unusual event. The explanations may lie in the condition of the tracks or the trains themselves,” said Transport Minister Óscar Puente, who also announced that the investigation will be “long and complex.” Forensic specialists are meticulously analyzing the railway infrastructure and the technical conditions of both trains.

Safety Crisis Expands: New Incidents in Murcia and Catalonia

The dark week for Spanish railways continued with new incidents. On Thursday, a metropolitan train in Murcia collided with a crane-truck, leaving several minor injuries. Days earlier, a wall collapsed onto the tracks in Catalonia during a commuter service, causing the death of a train driver. These events have put pressure on both the Transport Ministry, infrastructure manager Adif, and the Spanish railway system overall.

Drivers Stand Firm: Safety in Question

Cercanías workers in Catalonia refused to resume services on Tuesday, arguing that safety conditions were not met after heavy rains on Sunday. Although Adif had certified the tracks as operational, only 6 of 140 drivers showed up to work, leaving nearly 400,000 daily users without transportation. “To regain trust that the infrastructure is safe, we need real guarantees,” explained Diego Martin, secretary-general of the Semaf union.

The drivers have scheduled three strike days for February 9, 10, and 11, aiming to raise safety standards across the network. Catalan councilor Silvia Paneque confirmed that negotiations are underway to resume services once thorough inspections, involving the drivers themselves, are completed, with no set date yet.

A Railway System Under Question

The incident has brought the reliability of the Spanish transportation system into public debate, ranking second worldwide in high-speed network after China. Minister Puente has emphasized not to question the quality of the system: “It is not perfect or infallible, but it remains a great transportation system.” However, the series of accidents has highlighted that concerns about safety and infrastructure cannot be minimized.

The families of the 45 victims have begun funeral rites, while the country remains in mourning. An official state memorial service is scheduled for January 31 in Huelva, the hometown of many of the deceased. The Spanish railway safety crisis continues to be a focus of national attention, with urgent calls for increased investment in maintenance and infrastructure modernization.