THE grim search for survivors continues after a train crash in Andalucia killed at least 42 people, amid fears the death toll will rise.
Rescuers have brought in sniffer dogs, cranes and bulldozers as they race to reach victims still trapped beneath the mangled carriages in Adamuz.
Regional boss Juanma Moreno confirmed fatality numbers are ‘likely to rise’ as efforts continue beyond the immediate crash site.
“The impact was so violent that bodies have been found hundreds of metres away,” he explained. “That means people were thrown through the windows.”
The disaster struck at 7.45pm on Sunday after the rear of a Malaga to Madrid service derailed and slammed into an oncoming train, sending it down an embankment.
The first, operated by Iryo, was carrying 317 passengers.
The second, a Renfe Alvia high-speed service bound for Huelva from Madrid, had more than 180 people on board.
READ MORE: Spain train disaster death toll rises to 41 after body is found in damaged carriage
At the time of writing, 43 people remain unaccounted for while over 150 were injured, including 13 fighting for their lives.
Families of missing passengers have meanwhile issued desperate appeals on social media.
Investigators are examining a faulty joint in the tracks as a possible cause of the crash.
Data from the black box of the first train showed the driver requested an immediate track suspension shortly after the incident, before realising the second train had derailed.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the site on Monday, announcing three days of national mourning, while King Felipe and Queen Letizia thanked emergency workers on Tuesday.
It is the worst crash for over a decade and the worst in Andalucia’s history.
All high-speed AVE train services have been suspended between Madrid and Andalucia.
Click here to read more Cordoba News from The Olive Press.
