At least 39 people have died and dozens more are injured after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain near Córdoba. The crash happened around 19:45 local time on Sunday, about an hour after one train left Málaga for Madrid. According to the train operator Adif, one train derailed and crossed to the opposite track. It then collided with a train travelling from Madrid to Huelva. Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente said the majority of fatalities and injuries were in the front carriages of the Huelva-bound train. The cause of the derailment is still unknown. Officials have launched an investigation but expect no answers for at least a month. Puente called the crash "extremely strange" and said railway experts were "extremely baffled by the accident." Around 400 passengers and staff were on the two trains, operated by Iryo and Alvia, states rail operator Renfe. Rescue teams are working despite twisted and mangled carriages making access difficult. Francisco Carmona, head of Córdoba firefighters, said, "The problem is that the carriages are twisted, so the metal is twisted with the people inside. We have even had to remove a dead person to be able to reach someone alive. It is hard, tricky work." The 39 victims have not yet been identified. Puente warned the death toll "is not yet final". As of Monday morning, 112 people had received medical help, with 48 still in hospital. Among these are five minors, including one in intensive care, and eleven adults in intensive care.