A young Spanish basketball player, Nicolas Ramirez Perez, 22, tragically lost his life after being hit by a high-speed passenger train on Monday evening, December 15, 2025. The incident occurred at a rural station near Zaragoza, Spain.
Perez, a player for CB Octavus de Utebo, had just disembarked from a train at Casetas station, approximately 10 miles from Zaragoza, when an Alvia train traveling from Bilbao to Barcelona struck him while he was crossing the tracks. The train, which was not scheduled to stop at Casetas station, was carrying 101 passengers. The incident took place around 8 p.m. local time.
Emergency medical workers attended to Perez at the accident scene before rushing him to Miguel Servet Hospital in Zaragoza in critical condition. Unfortunately, he died shortly after arrival. Spain’s Guardia Civil has since started an investigation. According to Enrique Peiro, the club secretary, Perez was en route to a team practice when the accident occurred.
Born on April 2, 2003, in Pamplona, Perez spent most of his childhood in the town of Etxauri, Navarre. His parents, originally from Alfaro in La Rioja, had moved to Etxauri over two decades ago. Perez, who had a younger sister, had recently sold their family home in Etxauri.
Perez relocated from Navarre to Zaragoza to pursue architecture studies at the University of Zaragoza. Prior to this, he played for Club Deportivo Navarro Villoslada and represented the Navarre basketball team at lower levels. At the time of his untimely death, Perez, who wore jersey number 66, was a forward for CB Octavus de Utebo in the Primera Nacional A-2 league. He had been with the club for about five years.
In the wake of Perez’s death, his club announced a suspension of all league games for the coming weekend and most Tuesday training sessions. The club extended its deepest condolences and support to Perez’s family and friends, also known as Nico. “A big hug,” the statement concluded.
A club spokesperson posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, stating, “Life is sometimes so unfair that it is impossible to understand why things happen. We are shocked, saddened, and angry at fate. It wasn’t your time… We will miss you, N. You will always be part of this club.”
The regional Aragon Basketball Federation also mourned Perez’s death, expressing condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. The federation acknowledged Perez’s five-year stint with his club and encouraged everyone to stay strong during this challenging time.
Jose Luis Almenara, president of the Casetas neighborhood association, shared his community’s shock over the incident. He learned of the accident around 10 p.m. after seeing ambulances and hearing sirens in the area. Almenara noted that while the station has a crossing with rubber mats to deter people from stepping directly on the tracks, passengers must walk back a significant distance from their train’s stopping point to access it.
A local mayor voiced concerns about the station’s safety, labeling the official crossing as being “poorly illuminated.” This call for improved safety measures coincides with investigators’ efforts to determine the exact circumstances surrounding Perez’s death.
Following the accident, the 101 passengers aboard the Alvia train were transferred to a freight train and transported to Delicias station in Zaragoza. The investigation into Perez’s death continues under the supervision of the Guardia Civil’s police unit in Casetas.