CÁRTAMA, Spain — A night of celebration turned into chaos in the Guadalhorce Valley after a popular tourist road train overturned in Cártama, a municipality just 17 kilometers from Málaga. The accident, which occurred during a major local festival, left 18 people injured, including 9 children.

The incident took place at approximately 9:40 PM on Saturday, June 13, 2026, as the traditional wheeled tourist train—locally known as a "carrilet"—was navigating a crossing on Santo Cristo Road.

The free train service was operating as a centerpiece transport link for Cártama’s annual Ruta de la Tapa y el Cóctel (Tapas and Cocktail Route). The multi-day culinary event, designed to promote local gastronomy across the town, utilizes the train to transport patrons between participating bars and restaurants.

According to emergency services, the train was carrying roughly 30 passengers when one of its main passenger wagons tipped over while making a turn. Bystanders and festival attendees immediately rushed to the vehicle, dialing 112 Andalucía to summon first responders.

Local police, the Civil Guard, and teams from the Málaga Provincial Firefighters Consortium quickly cordoned off the street to secure the vehicle and administer first aid.

Medical personnel assessed 18 victims at the scene, consisting of nine adults and nine minors ranging in age from 5 to 17 years old. While several of the injured required immediate evacuation via ambulance to nearby hospitals for further diagnostics, others sought medical attention independently.

"Fortunately, despite the initial shock and panic, we do not have to regret any life-threatening or severe injuries," the Cártama City Council confirmed in an official statement via social media. Most injuries were reported as minor contusions, cuts, and shock.

Following the crash, municipal authorities suspended the special festival transit service for the remainder of the weekend. The Civil Guard has launched a formal investigation to determine the exact technical or environmental cause behind the vehicle's destabilization.

Investigators are currently examining the mechanical condition of the train, its weight distribution at the time of the incident, and whether speed or road conditions at the Santo Cristo crossing contributed to the sudden derailment.