The tragedy happened after two high speed trains derailed near the town of Adamuz in Cordoba, Spain
The tragedy happened after two high speed trains derailed near the town of Adamuz in Cordoba, Spain
Thirty nine people have died after a train crash in Spain with more people believed to have been killed, local emergency services have said. A further 170 people have been injured with 75 hospitalised, and four children understood to be in a critical condition.
The devastating incident happened on Sunday just before 8pm after an Iryo-run high speed train derailed in the town at Adamuz in the region of Andalusia. It encroached on the adjacent track and collided with another oncoming train, run by Alvia, which also derailed. Reports indicate that there were around 300 people on the Iryo train and a further 186-or so people on the Alvia.
Regional health and emergencies minister Antonio Sanz has said that the death toll is set to rise as both it and injury numbers are provisional figures. Sanz is the third official to issue the same warning about an oncoming increase to the death toll, the Mirror reports.
Spanish Minister of Transport Óscar Puente and Andalusian president Moreno Bonilla both essentially reported the same fears as search and rescue efforts continue.
Mr Sanz said that the rescue operation is “very complex” as access to some carriages were hampered. Three plunged down a four-metre embankment, making a difficult recovery process even harder for rescuers as they attempt to rescue survivors.
Specialist teams from the surrounding regions are also being sent in to help. Extra firefighters, paramedics, search and rescue, specialist medical, forensic scientists, psychologists, and more have all been tasked to assist at the mass casualty event, coming from surrounding parts of Spain.
Spanish emergency service 112 has issued a statement to ask members of the public to stop attempting to join or interfere with rescue missions.
The spokesperson said: “Emergency services are the only ones authorised to be in the area of the Adamuz train accident. No public assistance has been requested for emergency operations.”
The 112 spokesperson added that unnecessary crowds make it harder to “ensure the passage of emergency vehicles”.
Salvador Jimïnez, a journalist for Spanish broadcaster RTVE, was on board one of the derailed trains during the crash. He said: “There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake and the train had indeed derailed.”
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