Spain sees its fourth train crash in five days, and the pattern is impossible to ignore

Spain is facing a troubling run of rail incidents after a commuter train struck a construction crane in the southeastern Murcia region, marking the country’s fourth train crash in just five days. The incident occurred near the port city of Cartagena and has intensified scrutiny on rail safety nationwide.

The latest crash was far less severe than earlier incidents this week. Emergency services said four people suffered minor injuries, and officials confirmed the train did not derail or overturn. The collision took place around midday on Thursday, January 22, 2026, as detailed by Sky News.

Spain’s rail infrastructure has come under sharp focus following a series of accidents across multiple regions. Recent international reporting on global risk concerns, such as the coverage of a ship sinking in the South China Sea linked to broader safety debates, underscores how systemic failures across transportation modes are drawing global attention.

A week of rail incidents has put Spain’s train safety under scrutiny

Spain’s rail operator, Adif, said services on the affected Murcia line were temporarily halted due to “the intrusion into the infrastructure gauge by a crane not belonging to the railway operation.” Traffic resumed just over an hour later, at around 1:30 PM, after the obstruction was cleared.

The Murcia crash followed a far more serious incident earlier in the week in the southern Andalusia region near Adamuz. That high-speed collision killed at least 43 people and injured more than 150 others, involving two trains traveling in opposite directions between Malaga, Madrid, and Huelva.

Two additional crashes were reported, including a deadly derailment near Barcelona after a containment wall collapsed onto the tracks following heavy rain. That incident killed the train driver and seriously injured four passengers, while another collision was reported the same day elsewhere in the Catalonia region. A separate politically charged controversy over public safety and law enforcement tactics has also been highlighted in recent news, with coverage of a contentious immigration arrest operation that went wrong.

In response, Spain’s largest train drivers’ union, SEMAF, announced plans for a three-day nationwide strike beginning February 9. The union cited the fatal crashes in Adamuz and Gelida as a turning point and said it would seek criminal liability for those responsible for rail infrastructure safety.

Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the government does not agree that a general strike is the best response, underscoring a growing divide as authorities face mounting pressure following the string of rail accidents.