A Cuban woman is among the individuals still unaccounted for following Sunday's devastating train collision in Adamuz, Córdoba, Spain, where two high-speed trains collided, resulting in at least 40 fatalities.
The tragic incident occurred when an Iryo train, traveling from Málaga to Madrid, derailed upon entering Adamuz, veering onto the opposite track just as an Alvia train was en route from Madrid to Huelva.
Authorities report that approximately 300 passengers were aboard the Iryo train, with another 184 on the Alvia. Alongside the confirmed 40 fatalities, over 150 individuals sustained injuries—41 of whom are hospitalized—and several remain missing, feared trapped within the mangled wreckage of the trains.
Among the missing is Tamara Margarita Valdés, a Cuban resident of Huelva, as reported by El País. Her husband, Ramón Montón, was seen anxiously searching for her at the municipal pavilion in Adamuz during an interview with the newspaper. Tamara was one of the 184 passengers on the Alvia traveling from Madrid to Huelva.
“I talked to her 20 minutes before the crash. She almost missed the train,” Montón recounted.
“I’m very anxious; I haven’t been able to locate her yet. It took me three hours from Huelva; I sped up a bit to get here,” admitted the distressed husband, who rushed from Huelva to the accident site in search of Tamara.
Dozens of others, like Montón, are frantically trying to locate their loved ones as hope diminishes with each passing hour of finding survivors among the twisted train debris.
Minister Comments on Unusual Accident
In a press conference held at the Adif facilities in Atocha Station, Madrid, Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente described the railway accident as "extremely unusual."
“It’s rare, very rare; it’s hard to explain at this moment,” he informed the press.
He noted that both the track and the Iryo train were recently constructed. "The track was upgraded this spring, and the Iryo train is less than four years old. All materials were practically new," Puente explained before departing for Córdoba to oversee the emergency operations.
Devastating Aftermath and Rescue Efforts
According to official reports, the accident occurred on a straight section of the railway where significant track upgrades were completed in May, involving a €700 million investment in switches and turnouts.
The first two units of the Alvia train, carrying 53 passengers, suffered the most damage, plummeting down an embankment after the collision and derailment. Firefighters and Civil Protection teams have focused their rescue efforts in this area since early Monday morning.
Rafael Moreno, the mayor of Adamuz, described the scene as "horrific," having witnessed severed bodies at the impact site.
Paco Carmona, the chief firefighter of Córdoba, stated that rescuing the remaining passengers is proving extremely challenging due to the difficulty of accessing the “twisted” cars, now “massive piles of metal,” filled with “chairs and various obstacles hampering access to the victims.”
By noon local time on Monday, Spanish President Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning in response to the tragedy that has deeply affected the nation.
This incident marks the deadliest high-speed train accident in Spain to date. As rescue operations continue nearly 24 hours after the disaster, families of the missing passengers, including Tamara's, hold onto hope of discovering their loved ones alive.
Key Questions About the Train Collision in Spain
What caused the train collision in Adamuz, Spain?
The collision occurred when an Iryo train derailed and entered the opposite track, colliding with an Alvia train. The specific cause of the derailment is still under investigation.
How many people were affected by the train accident?
The accident resulted in at least 40 deaths and over 150 injuries, with 41 people hospitalized. Additionally, several individuals remain missing.
Who is Tamara Margarita Valdés?
Tamara Margarita Valdés is a Cuban woman residing in Huelva, Spain, who is among the missing passengers after the train collision.