Two high-speed trains collided in Spain, resulting in 21 fatalities and numerous injuries | Video

At least 21 people were killed and numerous others were injured when a high-speed train in southern Spain derailed, veered onto the opposite track, and collided with an approaching train on Sunday, according to the nation's transport minister. At approximately 7:45 p.m. local time, the rear coaches of an evening train carrying about 300 passengers from Malaga to Madrid went off the rails near Cordoba and collided with a train carrying about 200 passengers from Madrid to Huelva, another city in southern Spain, according to rail operator Adif.

Oscar Puente, Spain's Transport Minister, announced after midnight that all survivors had been evacuated and that at least 21 people had been confirmed dead in the catastrophic train collision in southern Spain. He did, however, issue a warning that as authorities continue to confirm casualties, the final toll may still increase.

The cause of the collision is still unknown, according to Puente, who called it "a truly strange" incident because it happened on a level section of track that had just undergone renovations in May. Additionally, he pointed out that the train was younger than four years old when it derailed and crossed onto the other track.

The oncoming train that took the brunt of the impact belonged to Spain's state-run rail operator Renfe, while the derailed train was operated by the private rail company Iryo.

Iryo said in a statement that it "deeply lamented what has happened" and affirmed that it is working with authorities to manage the situation and assist with the investigation.

Puente claims that the first train's rear derailed and collided with the other train's head, sending its first two carriages off the track and down a four-meter (13-foot) incline. According to him, the front portion of the Renfe train sustained the most damage.

One of the trains was severely damaged, with at least four wagons off the rails, according to Francisco Carmona, the chief firefighter of Cordoba, who spoke on Spanish national radio RNE.

According to Antonio Sanz, regional health chief for Andalusia, 73 injured travelers have been transported to six different hospitals.

The situation at the crash site "is very serious," according to Sanz. "This is going to be a very tough night."

Passengers broke the windows with emergency hammers, according to reports, and some of them escaped unharmed. Videos captured by on-site witnesses show people occasionally crawling out of windows to get away from the wreckage while carriages are tilted at an angle.

Hundreds of survivors had to be rescued in the dark after the early evening incident.

Canal Sur was informed by regional Civil Protection chief María Belen Moya Rojas that the accident occurred in a difficult-to-reach area.

According to her, locals were helping the victims by bringing blankets and water to the scene.

In Spain, high-speed trains are a common mode of transportation, operating on a vast national network.

Other rescue units were deployed alongside Spain's military emergency relief units. Healthcare officials received assistance from the Red Cross as well.

In a post on X, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that she was keeping track of "the terrible news" from Cordoba. "My sincere sympathies to the Spanish people as well as the families and loved ones of the railway accident victims. I hope the injured person recovers quickly and completely. "You are in my thoughts tonight," she wrote in Spanish.

According to ADIF, there will be no train service on Monday between Madrid and Andalusian cities.