Six-year-old survives as family dies in southern Spain train crash
A six-year-old girl escaped a southern Spain train derailment with minor injuries but lost her parents, brother and cousin; authorities are still investigating the cause.
Overview
A six-year-old girl from the Zamorano Álvarez family was the sole survivor of her immediate family; her parents, brother and cousin were killed in the crash.
At least 41 people were killed and dozens injured when carriages were ripped open after the derailment and collision, making it Spain's worst rail disaster in over a decade.
The accident occurred near Adamuz, Córdoba province, in southern Spain as trains traveled between Málaga, Madrid and Huelva; towns declared days of mourning and held memorials.
A Civil Guard officer found the girl barefoot on the tracks; she reportedly escaped by removing shoes and climbing through a broken window, suffering only a minor head wound.
Authorities say a train jumped onto an opposing track for reasons still unknown; investigations continue while local officials call the child's survival a 'miracle' and offer support.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this as a human-interest 'miracle' by using emotive descriptions ('deafening,' 'twisted metal') and a headline invoking a miracle, privileging local officials' consoling quotes and the orphaned child's survival while downplaying investigative or systemic context about the crash's causes.
Sources (3)
FAQ
A Civil Guard officer found the barefoot six-year-old girl on the tracks near Adamuz; she escaped by removing her shoes and climbing through a broken window, suffering only a minor head wound.
Initial investigations point to a faulty rail weld as a possible cause; the derailment occurred on a straight track section renovated in May 2025 with €700 million invested, and both trains were within speed limits.
At least 41 people were killed and 292 injured, including 15 in critical condition; 170 had minor injuries, 122 were hospitalized, and 79 were discharged by the next day.
The first train, Iryo 6189, departed Málaga for Madrid at 18:40; the second, Renfe's Alvia 2384, departed Madrid for Huelva at 18:05.
Towns declared days of mourning and held memorials; train service between Madrid and Andalucía was suspended through at least January 19; local parish in Adamuz provided support to victims.
History
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