Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 23, 2026
1 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
A rail fracture likely caused the deadly train crash in southern Spain, killing 45. The CIAF's preliminary report suggests the fracture occurred before the derailment.
MADRID, Jan 23 (Reuters) - A fracture in the rail appeared to have occurred before a high-speed train derailed in southern Spain last Sunday, rail accident investigating body CIAF said in a preliminary report published on Friday.
Sunday's deadly collision in Adamuz, Cordoba province, killed 45 in one of Europe's worst train accidents. A first train belonging to private consortium Iryo derailed and smashed into another oncoming high-speed train from state-owned rail company Renfe.
"Based on the information available at this time, it can be hypothesised that the rail fracture occurred prior to the passage of the Iryo train involved in the accident and, therefore, prior to the derailment," read the CIAF report, posted on the body's website.
(Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Pietro Lombardi)
A rail fracture is a break or crack in a railway track that can lead to train derailments or accidents, posing significant safety risks.
A train derailment occurs when a train leaves its tracks, often due to track failure, mechanical issues, or obstructions, leading to potential injuries and damages.
An investigation body is an official organization responsible for examining the causes of rail accidents to improve safety and prevent future incidents.
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