At least 64 people have been killed, officials say, after a Spanish high-speed train collided with another train south of the capital Madrid
The updated death toll makes the rail disaster the country's worst since 2013, when 80 people died after a train derailed in north-western Spain
More than 500 passengers were travelling on the trains involved in today's collision, 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
Guy Hedgecoe
Reporting from Urda
I'm about 200m away from the crash site and I can see one of the carriages lying on its side.
We know there are at least 80 people who are injured - fifty of those are believed to be serious.
Many of them are being treated in nearby hospitals, others are being sent to Madrid which is about 100 miles (140km) away.
There have been helicopters coming over the crash site all morning.
Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
Spain was already reeling from the Adamuz high-speed rail disaster outside Córdoba, in which 46 people died.
It happened on the same high-speed rail line, but much further south. Now we have learned that the death toll near Urda today has risen to 64.
Not since July 2013 has Spain seen such a devastating rail disaster. Eighty people died in that high-speed rail crash on a curve on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.
All 13 carriages on the train came off the track in that crash, many of them careering into a concrete barrier. In the latest tragedy four carriages left the track, but two trains were involved, and again there will be close scrutiny on Spain's rail infrastructure, once considered the best in Europe.
The Castilla La Mancha regional government says 64 people are now confirmed to have died in the rail crash.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) says 24 football matches are to be postponed in "solidarity with the victims of the tragic train accident".
The matches were due to take place today for the first round of the Copa del Rey, the country's cup competition.
Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor
We've already heard from Castilla-La Mancha regional president Emiliano García Page that the death toll has risen above 30, with 24 deaths confirmed on the high-speed Renfe train and six on the other Iryo train.
Officials say another 80 people are being treated for injuries.
The regional leader has spoken to reporters at the scene of the high-speed rail crash near Urda and given several media interviews, in which he's said that about 50 people are described as in a serious condition and 15 more are in a critical condition.
Relatives of one passenger, former government minister Fátima Báñez, have also gone to the scene.
Báñez is head of Spain's Confederation of Business Organisations, CEOE, which has said it is devastated by the rail accident and awaiting news about its president.
Laura Gozzi
Europe reporter
Sebastián Herrero, 46, from Seville, was travelling on the train that was hit by the second train.
He told El Mundo that shortly after the train came to a halt, he felt a "terrible, terrible impact" and was thrown onto the seats in front of him.
"After we fell, there were many people with broken noses, broken arms... We started seeing smoke everywhere."
A plainclothes police officer arrived and began ordering everyone to evacuate, he says.
Another passenger, Iñaki, 60, tells newspaper El Pais that he felt the train stop before "a strong impact" that sent him rolling on the floor.
Outside the carriage, he saw injured people and fatalities.
Fernando Seco told El Espanol that the impact was followed by suitcases flying across the carriage.
But the worst came after he left the train and saw a "horrible scene".
"There were many injured people, a lot of blood and many dead," he says.
Local leader Emiliano García-Page, president of Castilla-La Mancha, tells Spanish outlet SER that most of those who have died were on the high-speed train, and there is a lower number of fatalities on the Iryo train.
He goes on: "Obviously, we assume that more dead bodies will appear because we haven't been able to reach the depth of the carriages."
Footage from the scene has also showed several people being treated, while Spanish media reports many patients have arrived at local hospitals.
Emiliano García-Page, president of Castilla-La Mancha, says at least 30 people are now confirmed to have died.
Speaking separately to Spanish media, he warns the death toll could increase further.
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."
Image source, EPA/ShutterstockThe Spanish Royal Family during a visit to Asturias in north-west Spain last week.
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."
Sergi Forcada Freixas
in Madrid
Most political parties in Spain have cancelled their campaign events scheduled for today.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and members of his government have cancelled their public engagements and are said to be closely monitoring the situation.
The leader of the opposition, conservative Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and most other candidates standing in the general election on 29 November have done the same.
The exception is the far-right party Vox. Its leader, Santiago Abascal, said Vox would not take part in what he described as attempts to “use mourning to silence criticism” of the country’s rail infrastructure.
By Thomas Copeland, Merlyn Thomas and Sherie Ryder
BBC Verify has been analysing the latest footage of the train crash which is being shared on social media.
One video we’ve verified shows the carriages from one of the trains overturned onto the embankment next to the track.
The first carriage appears to have been significantly damaged, with debris littering the ground around it.
Another video shows multiple emergency service vehicles and rescue workers in high-vis jackets at the same location.
Several people are visible under blankets on the grass and in the foreground we can see man holding up an IV bag next to one of them.
Drone images released by Spain's Civil Guard demonstrate the size of the emergency effort and crash site.
There are dozens of vehicles surrounding the trains and derailed carriages, with helicopters, ambulances and patients on the ground.
Image source, EPA
Image source, EPAA blood transfusion centre in Madrid is appealing for "urgent" donations following the train crash south of the capital.
Centro de Transfusión requested the donations "in the face of a possible sudden increase in care needs" in a post on X earlier this morning, external.
The Toledo Blood Bank is also appealing for donations following the crash, according to Spanish media.
Hospitals in the area have suspended planned surgeries as they deal with an influx of patients from the crash, according to Spanish news agency EFE.
It reported that facilities in Toledo, Ciudad Real and Alcázar de San Juan have cancelled procedures as casualties from the crash begin to arrive.
The situation at the crash site in Spain is developing quickly. Here is what we know so far:
At least 30 people have died in the high-speed train crash, multiple outlets have reported the Castilla-La Mancha regional government confirming.
The figure has been reported by news agencies AFP and Reuters, and local media El Pais.
It comes as emergency crews continue to carry out rescue and recovery operations at the scene
Although no official account has been shared yet, reports suggest the cause of the collision is that a high-speed train crashed into another one, which was stationary due to an issue on the tracks.
A Renfe train rear-ended an Iryo train, causing two carriages of the latter to derail, broadcaster RTVE said, quoting the transport ministry.
Train operator Renfe says services between Madrid, Ciudad Real and Andalusia remain suspended.
Images show people waiting at the Sevilla Santa Justa train station, in the country's south, waiting for more information.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, ReutersFootage from the scene shows multiple carriages off the tracks, with debris scattered widely.
The mobile phone footage shows the end of one carriage appears to have been torn away by the force of the collision.
People are seen standing in the wreckage.
Overturned train carriages seen by Madrid tracks
