The investigation detects marks on the wheels of five carriages of the Iryo train involved in the Adamuz accident.

Barcelona / MadridNew developments have emerged in the investigation into Sunday night's fatal collision between two high-speed trains in Adamuz, Córdoba, which has now claimed at least 43 lives, 42 of whom have been identified. The latest victim was found Wednesday inside one of the wrecked trains, which emergency services were inspecting. The investigation is focusing on the condition of the railway tracks and the point of contact with the bogies. On Wednesday, Transport Minister Óscar Puente explained that marks have been found on the structure beneath the train's body, comprised of axles and wheels, which fits into the root of the first five cars. At a press conference, the minister acknowledged that it is "an undeniable possibility" that the marks are due to a track defect, although he did not want to focus solely on this element as the open line of investigation. In fact, Puente continues to consider all possibilities, except for human error.

In a press conference lasting over two hours, with no limit on questions, Puente confirmed that similar marks, though much lighter, were also found on the bogies of two trains that ran on the same track just before the Iryo train crash. This supports the theory that the track had some kind of defect that gradually affected the wheels and worsened with each train. "The question is why these marks appeared, whether there was something wrong with the track or if the track itself was beginning to break down. At this time, it's not possible to draw a conclusion," the minister said. In fact, he specified that on one of the other trains, the marks were on the left side, not the right, as in the Iryo case. "It's puzzling," he reiterated.

In contrast, trains that passed through the section of track where the derailment occurred more than an hour before the accident lack these markings, Puente explained. Therefore, if the theory that the train's wheels were affected by a track defect is correct, this defect would have occurred at most one hour before the tragic accident.

The tracks, under scrutiny

The minister has described as "outrageous" the claim that works were contractedlow cost"(low cost) for infrastructure maintenance," he added, stating that it is "a renewed track that has undergone all reliability tests." This particular track was renovated last May, and between 2021 and 2025, 700 million euros were invested. "We are not facing a maintenance problem, nor an obstruction problem. We are facing another problem that I fear is much more complex than we imagine. Probably a problem that we have never experienced on our [railway] network and a very unique one," Puente stated.

In this regard, Ángel García de la Bandera, Director of Traffic at Adif, explained that after the work carried out in May, up to four "routine" inspections were performed: on November 1st and on January 7th, 2026, when a "complete" inspection was carried out.

In an interview on TVE on Monday night – 24 hours after the accident – ​​Minister Puente admitted that there were indeed "pieces of broken rail in several places." "We have detected an initial break, but the crucial question is whether it is the cause or the consequence of the accident," the minister explained. Since then, teams have been trying to determine whether the rail broke at some point and that caused the derailment, or whether, on the contrary, the derailment of the train and the subsequent collision – and the dragging of all the rolling stock – was what damaged the tracks. Railway Accident Investigation Commission, CIAFThe investigation continues.

Furthermore, the Civil Guard has located a train axle part in a stream near the derailment and collision site, and Puente has confirmed that it belongs to the front axle of carriage 8 of the Iryo train. "The parts were found on Monday morning," he clarified. "Everything indicates that they were ejected by the impact [with the Alvia train]," he said. In fact, he explained that one of the witnesses in carriage 7 reported hearing a "loud explosion," while a passenger in carriage 6 spoke of "strong movement." "It seems that carriages 6, 7, and 8 of the Iryo are the ones that collided with the Alvia," Puente said. The Civil Guard's team of investigators located this part using their 3D forensic computer system with drones.

41 victims identified

Regarding the victims of this tragic event, which currently number 43 after the discovery of a body this Wednesday morning, the Integrated Data Center (CID) has reported that the Civil Guard has identified almost all of the victims of the train accident (42). Thus, only one person remains unidentified. Of the total number of dead taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Córdoba, 28 were inside the Alvia train traveling between Madrid and Huelva, which was struck by the Iryo train, which derailed first. Another six were on the tracks of this train. Six more victims were found inside the Iryo train traveling from Málaga to Madrid. Three people were located between the two trains.

Reports of missing family members or acquaintances filed with police stations in Madrid, Málaga, Córdoba, Seville, and Huelva have increased in the last 24 hours, rising from 43 to 45. All but three of these reports involve Spanish nationals. One of the missing persons is a minor.