A commuter train has derailed near Barcelona, killing its driver and injuring at least 15 people, in the latest of two deadly rail incidents in Spain this week.
Spanish emergency services said the train left the tracks on Tuesday after a retaining wall collapsed onto the line amid heavy rain, striking the train as it travelled between Sant Sadurni d’Anoia and Gelida, around 35 minutes from Barcelona.
All 37 passengers on board were injured, with two reported to be in critical condition, according to public broadcaster RTVE.
Several rail services across Catalonia had been suspended earlier due to severe weather conditions. Emergency crews were deployed to the scene, and authorities said all available resources were being used to assist those affected.
The derailment comes just two days after a catastrophic high-speed train collision in southern Spain near Adamuz in the Córdoba region, which has claimed at least 42 lives, with one person still missing.
Investigators have ruled out sabotage in that crash and are examining a reported 30-centimetre gap in the track and possible deterioration of a rail weld. Spain’s Railway Accident Investigation Commission said there were no immediate indications of human error or signalling failures in the southern collision.
Así ha quedado el tren de la línea R4 de Rodalies tras chocar de manera frontal contra un muro de contención que había caído sobre la vía.
Las primeras hipótesis apuntan a que la infraestructura colapsó por las lluvias de los últimos días. pic.twitter.com/luQJWXZN3m
— Vloonk (@vloonk) January 20, 2026
H-mmm. I wonder if some of their lines are being sabotaged.