Christodoulides expresses condolences to Spain after deadly high-speed train collision

Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said on Wednesday that he was “deeply saddened by the tragic train collision in Spain”. Spanish regional authorities reported that at least 30 people died when two high-speed trains crashed into each other.

Message from the president

In a post on X, Christodoulides conveyed his profound condolences to the victims’ families, the Spanish people and the prime minister. He added: “We stand in resolute solidarity with Spain during this time of sorrow”.

Casualties and scene of the crash

The regional government of Castilla-La Mancha said the number of dead had climbed from 10 to 30, having earlier cautioned that the figure might increase. It was the second fatal accident in under a year on the line linking Madrid with the southern region of Andalusia, according to the regional authorities.

Footage broadcast by Castilla-La Mancha regional television showed a derailed train, with several carriages still standing on a raised stretch of track. Twisted metal, broken panels and other wreckage lay scattered across an embankment below the line.

Earlier accident on the same line

The latest collision came nine months after a crash involving high-speed trains of the same operators on the same route, which killed 46 people. That accident took place in January near Adamuz, in Cordoba province, after one train derailed and hit another coming in the opposite direction. It prompted a debate about how much has been invested in railway maintenance in recent years.