Six-year-old girl left orphaned after parents are killed in Spanish train crash | News World

A six-year old girl has been left orphaned within the high-speed Spanish rail crash which is believed to have claimed the lives of a minimum of 39 people.

Jose Zamorano and shop owner Cristina Alvarez were travelling back from Malaga with their 12-year-old son, Pepe Zamorano, their daughter and their cousin Felix Zamorano when their train crashed yesterday.

The family were getting back from Madrid to Huelva, a southern Spanish city, after going to see the Lion King musical and watching Real Madrid beat Levante on the Santiago Bernabeu stadium when the tragedy occurred.

The crash happened when the tail end of a train carrying 300 passengers on the route from Malaga to Madrid went off the rails at 7.45pm local time (6.45pm GMT).

It slammed into the incoming train, which the Zamorano family was onboard. The six-year-old has not been named publicly.

Family and friends had launched appeals for the teen’s missing parents, brother and cousin earlier today amid fears they’d died within the crash.

While the mayor of Punta Umbria, Jose Carlos Hernandez Casino, initially said Pepe had survived, he later confirmed he had also been killed within the accident.

The unnamed orphaned girl was taken care of overnight by a police officer and is alleged to be practically unharmed.

She is now resting together with her grandmother in a hotel in Cordoba after having three stitches to a head wound.

It was not clear this afternoon if she knows what has happened to her relatives.

The collision took place near Adamuz, a town within the province of Cordoba, about 230 miles south of Madrid.

Spanish police said 159 people were injured, of whom five were in critical condition. An additional 24 were in serious condition, authorities said.

Transport minister Oscar Puente said the death toll was not final.

Mr Hernandez Casino said in a social media message: ‘I used to be reluctant to achieve this since it appealed to hope, but after confirming the invention of the bodies of the Zamorano Alvarez members of the family who had been missing since last night in consequence of the train accident, I even have declared three days of official mourning.

‘We’re experiencing these moments with deep sadness and pain. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that the 2 residents of Punta Umbria who’re still missing can be found alive, and we proceed to closely monitor the progress of the search efforts.

‘I share within the grief of all of the families affected and convey to them the support, respect and solidarity of your complete Municipal Corporation and all residents.

‘Through the three days of mourning, flags will fly at half-mast on municipal buildings and all planned institutional events can be suspended as an indication of respect and mourning.’

The town hall published an analogous statement.

An old friend of Cristina’s, called Sori Ruiz, responded by writing: ‘My deepest condolences to the family. May God give them comfort. That is an incredible loss for everybody.

‘I used to be shocked by the news. Cristina was my classmate in school, and we spent a few years together.

‘May God rest her soul and provides comfort to her family. 😔 I cannot imagine the pain felt by her family and family members.’

Early this morning, a lady called Lucia Morales Blanco published a message on X saying: ‘A family of 4 from Huelva are still missing. Their names are: Felix Zamorano; Jose Zamorano; Cristina Alvarez and Pepe Zamorano (son).

‘Please, even the smallest piece of data could be of great help, similar to individuals who were on the train or saw these people for a moment.’

Journalist Oscar Toro, and his photojournalist wife Maria Clauss, are amongst those that died within the train crash.

Jaime de Vicente Nunez, president of the Iberoamerican Cultural Association, said: ‘Huelva is in mourning. Our Ibero-American Cultural Association is in mourning. Maria Clauss and Oscar Toro, friends and members of our Association, great professionals and, above all, people of extraordinary human quality, have passed away.

‘May they rest in peace and will we at all times remember their fruitful work and warm humanity.’

Friend Gabriel Cruz wrote in a tribute: ‘Incredulous and stunned. A tragedy that devastates us. Deep sorrow for the victims and their families, for the friend who’s gone. Oscar Toro and María Claus were travelling on that train. With them, a little bit piece of ourselves is gone. Kind and generous people.

‘I used to be fortunate to share many moments of friendship and camaraderie with Oscar, each in his role as President of the Huelva Journalists’ Association and as a councillor within the socialist group. Also outside the workplace.

‘All my like to the families of the victims. A kiss for María and Oscar.’

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared three days of national mourning for the victims.

‘Today is a day of pain for all of Spain,’ Mr Sanchez said on a visit to Adamuz, where many locals helped emergency services handle the influx of passengers overnight.

A sports centre was was a makeshift hospital and the Spanish Red Cross arrange a help centre offering assistance to emergency services and folks in search of information. Members of Spain’s civil guard and civil defence worked on-site throughout the night.

Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente early on Monday said the reason behind the crash was unknown.

He called it ‘a very strange’ incident since it happened on a flat stretch of track that had been renovated in May.

Alvaro Fernandez, the president of Renfe, told Spanish public radio RNE that each trains were well under the speed limit of 250kph (155mph). He said one was going at 205kph (127mph) and the opposite at 210kph (130mph). He also said that “human error might be ruled out”.

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