At least ten people dead after trains derail in Spain

· RTE.ie

At least 10 people have been killed and several injured after two trains collided in southern Spain, the emergency services said.

A police spokesman initially said there were five dead after the accident in the province of Cordoba, but soon after updated the toll to 10.

A train travelling from Malaga to Madrid derailed near Adamuz, crossing onto the other track where it hit an oncoming train, which also derailed, Spain's ADIF rail body posted on X.

"We have received calls from people reporting that there were injured and trapped," a spokesperson for the Andalusian emergency services told AFP.

One witness told public broadcaster TVE that one of the carriages of the first train had completely overturned.

Information screen at Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes station

Television images showed medical crews and fire services at the scene.

A journalist from public broadcaster RNE who was travelling on one of the trains said the impact had felt like "an earthquake".

Passengers had used emergency hammers to break carriages windows and get out, he said.

Spanish media reports suggested that a total of 400 people have been on the two trains.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a statement he was "closely monitoring" the situation.

The president of the Madrid region, Isabel Diaz Ayuso said its hospitals were available to the Andalusia region if required.

Rail travel between Madrid and Andalusia has been suspended.