Second fatal train crash shocks Spain as death toll in the first collision rises to 43

Spain Reels from Second Train Crash in Three Days, Death Toll Rises

Commuter rail service across northeastern Catalonia was suspended Wednesday following a Barcelona commuter train crash that killed one person and injured 37 others. The incident occurred just two days after Spain’s deadliest railway disaster in a decade, leaving the nation stunned by the back-to-back tragedies.

The Tuesday night crash near Gelida, approximately 37 kilometers outside Barcelona, happened when a commuter train struck a retaining wall that had collapsed onto the tracks. The fatality was identified as a conductor in training, according to regional authorities. Most injuries occurred among passengers in the front carriage.

“It’s very strange, all of this. It doesn’t make sense,” said Antonella Miranda, a Madrid barista, expressing the bewilderment felt across Spain. “Let’s see what explanations they provide after the second one.”

The service disruption created significant traffic congestion on roads leading into Barcelona on Wednesday. Catalonia’s regional government urged residents to limit unnecessary travel and encouraged companies to implement remote work until rail operations could resume.

Local resident Dolores Sogas voiced frustration at what she perceived as infrastructure neglect: “This is very bad. If the infrastructure was already faulty and there were complaints, they should have done something earlier.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez offered his condolences on social media, writing: “All my affection and solidarity with the victims and their families.”

Spain’s railway operator Adif attributed the wall collapse to recent heavy rainfall that had swept through northeastern Spain. While the country’s high-speed rail network generally operates smoothly and reliably, commuter rail systems often face operational challenges, though accidents resulting in casualties remain rare.

The Gelida crash comes on the heels of Sunday’s devastating collision in southern Spain, where the death toll has now climbed to 43. The earlier accident occurred near Adamuz, about 370 kilometers from Madrid, when the rear section of a train carrying 289 passengers from Malaga to Madrid derailed and struck an oncoming train traveling from Madrid to Huelva with 184 people aboard.

The impact of Sunday’s crash was catastrophic, knocking the first two carriages of the second train off the tracks and down a 4-meter slope. Bodies were discovered hundreds of meters from the collision site, according to Andalusia regional President Juanma Moreno. As of Wednesday, 37 people remained hospitalized, while 86 had been treated and released.

Portuguese traveler Santiago Tavares, who suffered a broken leg in the Adamuz crash, recalled his harrowing experience: “Minutes before the train crash I had a feeling that an accident would happen because the carriage was moving a lot. Ten minutes later the accident happens, I started to fly… Then, I woke up and I realized I was alive.”

Officials continue investigating both incidents. Transport Minister Óscar Puente described Sunday’s collision as “truly strange” since it occurred on a straight section of track and neither train was exceeding speed limits.

Puente noted that investigators had identified a broken section of track that could be related to the Adamuz crash but emphasized this was merely a hypothesis, with conclusive findings likely weeks away. Adif reported Wednesday that the tracks in Adamuz had passed “usual inspections” and that “no fault has been detected that, a priori, shows a relationship with the accident.”

These assurances come despite warnings from the Spanish Union of Railway Drivers, which in August requested that Spain’s rail operator investigate flaws on high-speed lines nationwide. The union cited concerns about potholes, bumps, overhead power line imbalances, and frequent breakdowns. In response to the recent tragedies, the union announced plans for a general strike in coming weeks to demand stronger safety measures.

Puente and Renfe president Álvaro Fernández stated that both trains involved in Sunday’s accident were operating well under the 250 kph speed limit, suggesting that “human error could be ruled out.”

The back-to-back crashes have shaken confidence in Spain’s rail system, which leads Europe in high-speed train infrastructure with its extensive network of modern rail transport.