What we know so far about the Spanish train crash

At least 39 people have been killed and dozens more injured after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain, the country’s Civil Guard said.

The accident near the city of Córdoba, in southern Spain, was described by local officials as Spain’s worst rail crash in more than a decade.

Here’s what we know about the crash so far.

The crash happened at around 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT) on Sunday, about an hour after one of the trains left Málaga for Madrid.

The train derailed and crossed the opposite track, said operator Adif.

It then collided with an oncoming train traveling from the south from Madrid to Huelva, which was forced into an embankment that runs along the tracks, Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente said on Sunday.

Most of the dead and injured were in the front carriages of the train heading to Huelva, he added.

What caused the train to derail remains unclear.

Officials say an investigation has been launched but aren’t expected to know what happened for at least a month.

Puente described the crash as “very strange” and said all rail experts consulted by the government were “very puzzled by the accident”.

There were about 400 passengers and staff on the two trains, operated by Iryo and Alvia, according to a statement from state-owned train operator Renfe.

It is unclear if there are people still trapped inside the carriages but rescue teams are on the scene.

“The problem is that the carriages are turning, so the metal is covered with people inside,” Francisco Carmona, head of Córdoba’s fire department, told Spanish public broadcaster RTVE.

“We even have to remove a dead person to get to a living person. It’s hard, hard work,” he added.

The 39 victims of the crash have not yet been identified, with Puente saying the death toll is “not yet final” as investigations begin into the crash.

As of Monday morning, 112 people have received medical assistance, 48 of whom remain hospitalized, local emergency services said.

Among the 48 victims still in hospital:

• Five are minors, including one who is in intensive care
• Eleven adults are also in intensive care