Difficult days have arrived in Huelva: the city and the entire province are in mourning after the confirmed deaths of 26 people in the train disaster near Adamuz. Families whose loved ones were on the Alvia train that derailed on the way to the provincial capital anxiously awaited news. Now their worst fears have been realized—the list of victims continues to grow, and the pain of loss is felt in every corner of the region.
On Tuesday, more victims were identified, including Antonia Garrido. She was accompanying her daughter to Madrid, where the daughter was taking an exam for a position in the penitentiary system. The daughter miraculously survived, but her mother was unable to escape the mangled carriage. Another young man, Mario, also did not return home. In the town of Bollullos Par del Condado, residents mourn two locals who died after returning from the capital, where they had attended the musical El Rey León.
Losses and names
In the evening, the football clubs Recreativo de Huelva and Getafe CF reported the death of David Cordón, the father of Getafe defender Davinci (David Cordón Mancha), who trained in Huelva’s youth system. Cordón, who worked as a nurse at Hospital Juan Ramón Jiménez, had traveled to Madrid for a match with his son, who had to miss the game due to injury. Returning home alone, David Cordón was reported missing after the crash.
Among the victims were two sisters-in-law — Manuela Barba and Esther Matito, who had been missing since January 18. Manuela owned a workwear shop and was well-known in the city for participating in religious processions. The Bolivian government confirmed the death of its citizen, Víctor Luis Terán Mita, who lived in Huelva and was in the second car of the Alvia train. The consulate is now providing support to his family.
The pain of farewell
In La Palma del Condado, authorities confirmed the death of the wife of a local resident who was traveling with her husband to Madrid to visit their son. This loss has dealt yet another blow to the small town. The list of victims also included a married couple — photographer María Clauss and journalist Óscar Toro — as well as four members of a single family from Aljaraque and Punta Umbría. Only a six-year-old girl survived. Among the deceased was another candidate for a prison service post, residents from Lepe and Gibraleón, a mother and daughter from Isla Cristina, a prison officer from Huelva, and a grandmother who was traveling with her son and three grandchildren. The son is currently hospitalized, the children sustained injuries, and the husband of the woman from La Palma del Condado is also among the victims.
The final journey
After the victims were identified, a new painful chapter began—their farewells and funerals. Throughout the day, coffins sent from Córdoba in the morning began arriving in Huelva, Aljaraque, and Isla Cristina. In Aljaraque, the municipality prepared a sports complex to host the memorial service and farewell for the Zamorano Álvarez family. Wreaths and flowers were delivered there during the day, and the farewell is scheduled for Thursday at 11 a.m. In Isla Cristina, the coffins of Pepi and María are expected to arrive on Wednesday evening, with a memorial mass to be held the same day at 8:00 p.m.
The first farewell to the crash victims took place in Gibraleón, where 37-year-old José María Martín was laid to rest. He had traveled to Madrid for the weekend to visit his girlfriend, who survived the accident. In every city where the victims lived, preparations are underway for funerals and memorial ceremonies, while an atmosphere of mourning and solidarity has enveloped the entire province.
Shared grief
The authorities of Huelva and Andalusia have agreed to hold a state memorial service on Saturday, January 31. Relatives of the victims, officials, and local residents are expected to attend. In these days, Huelva is waiting for the return of the bodies, while its streets fill with flowers and words of support. The tragedy in Adamuz has dealt a blow not only to the families, but to all of Andalusia, where everyone feels part of a common grief.
