The most serious high-speed rail accident in Spain, which occurred in Adamuz (Córdoba) on January 18, resulted in a tragic toll of 46 fatalities and 155 injuries. A Guardia Civil investigation has revealed that emergency services took three-quarters of an hour to fully understand the true extent of the incident, specifically that the Alvia train had also derailed and was in a critical situation.
The chronological sequence prepared by the Guardia Civil agents details “significant initial confusion” due to the “large volume of simultaneous calls” and general “disorientation.” Emergency managers, according to the report, mistakenly linked the first alerts to the Iryo train. Calls about the Alvia were interpreted as minor incidents or confused with those related to the Iryo, despite their severity.
The accident occurred between 19:43:37 and 19:43:41. The first call to 112 Andalucía came from an Iryo passenger one minute and eleven seconds later. It was not until 20:31:58, when an Alvia passenger walked to a Guardia Civil Traffic officer, 700 meters from the scene, that the serious situation of the second train was confirmed. In the Alvia, 37 people died, while in the Iryo, there were nine fatalities.
“"The calls reporting the Alvia train were interpreted either as an accident not involving a collision with the less severe Iryo, or were confused with those related to the Iryo."
The chronology of events shows how information arrived in fragments. At 19:44:51, an Iryo passenger alerted 112 Andalucía about the overturning and injuries. Shortly after, at 19:45:02, the Iryo driver reported a “snag” to CRC Atocha. However, at 19:45:06, an Alvia passenger was already informing 112 Andalucía of an accident with multiple injuries on the Madrid-Huelva train, and at 19:46:24, the Alvia purser reported a “major accident” to CGO Madrid, after having been unconscious.
The confusion persisted even when the SÉNECA System transmitted the first accident information at 19:47:06, locating the Iryo train. At 20:06:16, the Iryo driver reported a fatality and mentioned that the Alvia was also derailed, information that was cross-referenced between the 112 Madrid and 112 Andalucía control room chiefs at 20:07:01, who still doubted the involvement of a second train. Finally, at 20:36:53, a Guardia Civil patrol reached the Alvia train, confirming the severity and requesting the prioritization of resources to that location.
