Spanish police said on Monday that at least 39 people were killed after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain, as rescue operations continued.

The crash happened on Sunday afternoon near the town of Adamuz, province of Cordoba, when a high-speed train derailed, crossed onto the opposite track and slammed into an oncoming service.

Emergency teams worked through the night, searching the wreckage for survivors.

Dozens of people were injured, officials said.

There were around 400 passengers on the two trains. It was unclear how many tourists could be onboard as January is not holiday season in Spain.

The Spanish Red Cross opened a support centre in Adamuz to assist emergency workers and relatives seeking information.

Members of Spain’s civil guard and civil defence remained at the scene throughout the night.
Cause of crash still unknown

Transport Minister Oscar Puente said on X that the first two wagons of the second train were "thrown off" the tracks, acknowledging that reports from the scene were "very grave."

The cause for the crash is not yet known, Puente stressed.

Speaking to reporters early on Monday, Puente called the accident “strange,” noting it happened on a straight section of track renovated in May at a cost of €700 million ($728 million).

He added that the track was "supposedly in perfect state" and the train was "relatively new" at just four years old.

Adamuz Mayor Rafael Moreno said he was among the first to reach the scene.

"I saw a passenger reduced to rags," Moreno told Spanish daily El Pais. "There was no light; it was nighttime. The scene is horrific."