Spain Train Crash: Two Trains, 20 Seconds, and Baffled Experts
Spain high speed train accident (Image social media)
Malaga–Madrid derailment on a straight, newly built track triggered a deadly second impact, raising urgent questions over rail safety in Spain
By TRH World Desk
New Delhi, January 19, 2026 — The Spain train crash has baffled railway experts. After two passenger trains were involved in a deadly chain of events on a seemingly safe stretch of track, Spain has gone into shock.
According to an Al Arabiya English report, initial alerts suggested a single derailment. It soon became clear that two services were involved—with devastating consequences. A northbound Malaga-to-Madrid train derailed on a straight section of newly constructed track, an incident Spanish Transport Minister José Puente described as “extremely strange.”
As the train derailed, parts of its carriages were violently flung onto the opposite track. Just 20 seconds later, a southbound train slammed into the debris field. Authorities say the front two carriages of the second train bore the brunt of the impact, accounting for most of the fatalities.
More than 400 passengers were traveling on the two trains combined. Survivors recounted moments of terror—sudden braking, luggage flying through compartments, and passengers being thrown from their seats. “Firefighters described a harrowing rescue operation, battling twisted metal and debris to reach survivors, at times forced to move bodies to free those still alive,” said the broadcaster in its ground report.
The incident has ignited urgent questions about rail infrastructure safety, monitoring systems, and emergency response protocols. “With Spain’s high-speed rail network considered among Europe’s most advanced, the crash has prompted demands for a full-scale technical and criminal investigation,” said the broadcaster.
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