At least 35 people have died and up to 200 have been injured after a serious rail crash in northwest Spain.
The Renfe railway company earlier spoke of "several dead and injured" in the accident near the city of Santiago de Compostela, but could not immediately give a precise toll.
Twitter images posted from the scene show the scale of the disaster.
La Xunta de #Galicia habla ya de al menos 35 muertos #accidentesantiago #santiago Foto @EFEnoticias pic.twitter.com/L5kFsCzMP9
— Roberto Cámara (@RoberCamara) July 24, 2013
Terrible... #galicia pic.twitter.com/R1lmp2BLv6
— Ignasi Comellas (@ignasicomellas) July 24, 2013
"The number of dead will not be lower than 35," Alberto Nunez Feijoo told news radio Cadena Ser.
"There are bodies laying on the railway track. It's a Dante-esque scene," he added.
The Renfe railway company earlier said there were "several dead and injured" in the accident near the city of Santiago de Compostela, but could not immediately give a precise toll.
The train, carrying 238 passengers, originated in Madrid and was bound for the northwestern town of Ferrol as the Galicia region was preparing celebrations in honour of its patron saint James.
"It derailed near the station of Santiago de Compostela but we don't yet know why," Renfe said.
