Rafael Escudero, head of railway union, on the possible cause of the accident: “Attention will have to be paid to the wheels, flanges, rail and infrastructure”
The secretary general of the Spanish railway union has called for caution regarding the causes of the accident and has avoided drawing premature conclusions.
Rafael Escudero, secretary general of the Spanish railway union, said on Cadena SER radio that it is impossible at this stage to have concrete information about the railway accident that occurred in Adamuz, Córdoba. Even so, he noted that the images are deeply concerning because of the condition in which the trains were left after the crash.
Escudero explained that the accident took place on a section of track where it is common for trains to overtake one another. “One train pulls aside so the one coming from behind can pass, because it is traveling at a higher speed, and for that purpose there are sidings on both sides of the station,” he said.
As for how the collision may have occurred, the union leader pointed out that the trains could have been traveling at speeds close to 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph). “That is the usual speed on that stretch, and it is likely the speed at which the Alvia was traveling and the speed the Iryo train was reaching.”
🔴 DIRECTO | La Guardia Civil comparte imágenes de la búsqueda de evidencias que puedan servir para la identificación de víctimas e investigación del accidente ferroviario en Adamuz https://t.co/9czj476oUU pic.twitter.com/iOENvbkCtb
— Cadena SER (@La_SER) January 19, 2026
“A twisted mass of metal”
The secretary general of the railway union said that such speeds could explain the condition of the affected cars. “That would explain why the two Alvia cars have been reduced to a twisted mass of metal,” he said regretfully.
Escudero also referred to the possible causes of the derailment of the Iryo train, while stressing the need for caution. “Anything we say right now would be speculation, but we will need to pay close attention to the Iryo train’s wheels, the flanges, the track, and the condition of the infrastructure.”
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