At least 30 people have been killed in Spain train crash
File photo.
At least 30 people have been killed, according to regional officials, after a Spanish high-speed train collided with another train south of the capital Madrid - here's what BBC las learned so far.
More than 500 passengers were travelling on the trains involved, and an initial death toll of 10 "will almost certainly rise", the spokesperson for the regional government says.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says he is "shocked by the serious train accident" and is in constant contact with the transport minister.
Rail operator Adif says the incident occurred between a Renfe train and another of the Iryo company, which covers the Madrid to Seville route.
"It was a catastrophe" - a 17-year-old, who was travelling on one of the trains, tells a Spanish broadcaster there was "chaos" at the scene.
Spain's royal family say they are "moved and concerned" by the train accident in Urda.
"We share in the sorrow of the families and loved ones of the deceased," they say in a statement on X.
"Our support also goes to the emergency teams and all those working in the area to help as much as possible under these circumstances."
Passenger describes hearing 'massive roar' during collision
A passenger named Miguel, who says he was travelling with several colleagues in the rear car of one of the trains, tells Spanish radio station COPE they "heard a massive roar, a truly enormous thud that went on for 10 seconds, as if the train were about to derail".
He went on: "Through the right-hand window, we could see a wrecked train. I imagine it must have been the other one."
Reuters adds:
Two high-speed trains have collided in Spain, causing the suspension of the line connecting Madrid to the southern Andalusia region, rail operator Adif said.
At least 30 people have been killed in the crash, the regional government of Castilla La Mancha said.
The trains crashed just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) and the cause of the crash and full details of casualties are still being determined.
It's the second major deadly train crash this year, after an accident in January between high-speed trains belonging to the same operators on the same line killed 46 people.
The crash comes at a politically sensitive time for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez who called a snap election for November 29.
(Source: BBC and Reuters)
