16-year-old Cordoba train accident hero honoured by King and Queen of Spain
Julio was returning with his mother and a friend after fishing, when they came across the accident scene and he became one of the first people to help the injured passengers in carriages 1 and 2 of the Alvia train - ground zero
Julio Rodríguez is a 16-year-old boy from Adamuz who was returning from a day of fishing with his mother and a friend on Sunday evening, when they saw two police cars and an ambulance - an unprecedented sight in their municipality. Initially moved by curiosity, they followed the convoy, which took them to the train disaster that had just happened near the station in Cordoba province.
Upon arrival, Julio saw injured people calling for help and disoriented passengers trying to leave the trains through doors and windows. The 16-year-old boy then followed his instinct and became one of the first people to reach carriages 1 and 2 of the Alvia train, which had fallen down a four-metre slope - ground zero of the accident.
By the time enough emergency teams arrived, Julio had seen corpses and helped rescue several people. He wrote down the names and telephone numbers of relatives.
"I didn't stop to think whether I was tired. I made the journey several times," the young man said. Julio describes the feeling in that moment not just as fear but rather "terror".
On Tuesday, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia paid tribute to the young hero of Adamuz by greeting and talking briefly with him during their visit to the area of the accident that has claimed 41 lives so far.
The royal couple arrived in Adamuz at 12.30pm to visit the advanced command post that was set up after the accident. They were received by president of the Junta de Andalucía Juanma Moreno and minister of public work and transport Oscar Puente, along with other authorities, including members of the security forces and civil protection. Among them were also the residents of Adamuz who participated in assisting the emergency teams at the scene of the crash and supported victims.
After the visit to Adamuz, the King and Queen will travel to the Poniente civic centre in Cordoba, where they will meet with relatives of the victims. Finally, they will go to the Reina Sofia hospital, where some of the injured passengers have been admitted.
