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60 people feared dead after truck hits crowd in Nice, French officials say – live updates 60 dead after truck hits Bastille Day crowd in Nice, French officials say – live updates
(35 minutes later)
12.21am BST
00:21
Truck was loaded with arms
Christian Estrosi, president of the region, says the truck in Nice was loaded with arms and grenades, according to AP.
12.20am BST
00:20
Le Figaro reports that, according to the interior ministry, investigators are currently looking for potential accomplice but confirms that there was no hostage taking.
12.18am BST
00:18
Donald Trump delays announcing running mate due to Nice attack
In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow's news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement.
12.11am BST
00:11
Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president, has voiced his solidarity with the residents of Nice.
Emotion profonde et tristesse infinie face à l'attaque à #Nice06. Solidarité à l'égard des #Niçois et des habitants des Alpes-Maritimes.
12.04am BST
00:04
Death toll rises to 73 – reports
France’s Itele TV channel is quoting an unnamed police source who says the death toll is now 73.
12.01am BST
00:01
Driver of the lorry is dead
The interior ministry has confirmed that the driver of the truck, which ploughed through crowds on the Nice promenade, has been neutralised.
.@PHBrandet (porte-parole) : l'individu qui conduisait le camion a été neutralisé. L'enquête déterminera s'il a agi seul #Nice
Updated
at 12.15am BST
11.57pm BST
23:57
Francois Hollande heads to crisis centre
The French president is heading to the interior ministry’s crisis centre, Reuters reports.
The French presidency said on its Twitter feed that the government had activated the inter-ministerial crisis centre following the incident in Nice.
11.56pm BST
23:56
Saeed Kamali Dehghan
Maryam Violet, an Iranian journalist visiting Nice on holiday, told the Guardian that she saw the lorry running over people as they walked in the pedestrian area after the fireworks had finished.
“Everyone was completely shocked, I saw that suddenly people were fleeing and shouting,” she said over the phone from Nice.
“People were shouting ‘It’s a terrorist attack, it’s a terrorist attack’, it was clear that the driver was doing it deliberately,” she said.
“I was walking for nearly a mile and that there were dead bodies over the place. I think over 30 dead bodies are on the ground and lots of people are injured.”
The bodies had been covered by blue sheets.
“I saw two sisters and one brother from Poland that were mourning the death of their two other siblings,” she told the Guardian.
“The youngest one was crying and the other two just didn’t know how to react.
“There were so many Muslim people who were victims because I could see they had scarves over their head and some were speaking Arabic. One family lost a mother and in Arabic they were saying she’s a martyr,” she said.
“People were celebrating and it was so peaceful, it was a festivity vibe, it was right after the fireworks that the truck came and ran over people.”
Updated
at 12.00am BST
11.52pm BST
23:52
Donald Trump has been quick to deliver his take.
Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse.
11.51pm BST
23:51
Bonnie Malkin here, taking over the blog from Kevin.
Tony Molina, a witness to the attack, has told CNN that he watched the chaos unfold from his hotel room on the promenade.
“There was still a crowd of people and then you just see this big white panel truck, I couldn’t see the driver, but it just kept going at different angles from left to right at 25 to 30 miles and hour,” he said.
“People were screaming and running. There are still people I am looking at right now that are near their deceased family members.
“I work in homicide and I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s unbelievable.”
11.41pm BST11.41pm BST
23:4123:41
The US president Barack Obama has been appraised of the situation and will be updated as appropriate, the White House says.The US president Barack Obama has been appraised of the situation and will be updated as appropriate, the White House says.
11.39pm BST11.39pm BST
23:3923:39
Nice prosecutor's office says 60 feared deadNice prosecutor's office says 60 feared dead
The Nice prosecutor’s office is being quoted by the i-Télé TV channel that 60 people are now feared dead.The Nice prosecutor’s office is being quoted by the i-Télé TV channel that 60 people are now feared dead.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.42pm BSTat 11.42pm BST
11.28pm BST11.28pm BST
23:2823:28
A witness has told the Associated Press that he saw the truck driver emerge from the vehicle with a gun and start shooting after ploughing into the crowd.A witness has told the Associated Press that he saw the truck driver emerge from the vehicle with a gun and start shooting after ploughing into the crowd.
Wassim Bouhlel, a Nice native who spoke to the agency near the city’s Promenade du Paillon, said: “There was carnage on the road. Bodies everywhere.”Wassim Bouhlel, a Nice native who spoke to the agency near the city’s Promenade du Paillon, said: “There was carnage on the road. Bodies everywhere.”
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.30pm BSTat 11.30pm BST
11.25pm BST11.25pm BST
23:2523:25
Sebastien Humbert, the prefect for the Alpes-Maritime area has told BFM TV: “A truck rammed into the crowd over a long distance, which explains this extremely heavy toll.” According to Reuters, Humbert said the truck driver had been shot dead and that he was treating the incident as an attack at present.Sebastien Humbert, the prefect for the Alpes-Maritime area has told BFM TV: “A truck rammed into the crowd over a long distance, which explains this extremely heavy toll.” According to Reuters, Humbert said the truck driver had been shot dead and that he was treating the incident as an attack at present.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.30pm BSTat 11.30pm BST
11.23pm BST11.23pm BST
23:2323:23
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has tweeted: “On behalf of all Parisians, all of our fraternal support [goes] to the people of Nice. Our cities are united.”The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has tweeted: “On behalf of all Parisians, all of our fraternal support [goes] to the people of Nice. Our cities are united.”
Au nom des Parisiens, tout notre soutien le plus fraternel au peuple niçois. Nos villes sont unies.Au nom des Parisiens, tout notre soutien le plus fraternel au peuple niçois. Nos villes sont unies.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.30pm BSTat 11.30pm BST
11.21pm BST
23:21
Vikram Dodd
British security and government officials are monitoring the situation in Nice, as the seriousness of the incident escalated.
The initial details suggest a tactic that jihadi propaganda has suggested for several years, with a vehicle ploughing into a crowd. For instance, Inspire magazine – affiliated with al-Qaida – urged the tactic several years ago.
There are two immediate direct consequences for the UK if the attack is confirmed as a terrorist incident: fears about the decision by terrorists to use the tactic and the fact that past attacks overseas have led to increase in hate incidents directed at Muslims in Britain.
Updated
at 11.31pm BST
11.17pm BST
23:17
Nice-Matin quoted its own reporter at the scene as saying there were many injured people and blood on the street. It published the photograph below of the damaged, long-distance delivery truck, which it said was “riddled with bullets” and images of emergency services treating the injured.
Damien Allemand, the paper’s correspondent, was quoted as saying: “People are running. It’s panic. He rode up on to the Prom and piled into the crowd ... There are people covered in blood. There must be many injured.”
Updated
at 11.32pm BST
11.13pm BST
23:13
A witness is telling BFM TV that he heard shots fired but that he could see nothing of the driver of the truck. It was unclear who fired the shots the witness referred to.
Updated
at 11.32pm BST
11.11pm BST
23:11
There have been numerous reports that shots were fired during the incident, though it must be pointed out that they have not been confirmed by officials.
11.05pm BST
23:05
The local paper Nice-Matin: “If you are looking for a place to find cover, use #PortesOuvertesNice (doors open Nice)”
Si vous cherchez un lieu pour vous mettre à l'abri utilisez le #PortesOuvertesNice
Updated
at 11.12pm BST
11.03pm BST
23:03
Dreadful reports from Nice. Thoughts with all involved. https://t.co/iQ7FmyP0Gm
11.01pm BST
23:01
Reuters now reports that a French official has told local media that at least 30 people are dead and 100 injured. The driver is also dead, the local prefect reportedly said.
Updated
at 11.06pm BST
10.59pm BST
22:59
The Agence France-Presse (AFP) says its reporter described seeing a white van driving at high speed on to the Promenade des Anglais, which is by the beach in Nice, as people were leaving after the Bastille day celebration display.
“We saw people hit and bits of debris flying around,” he said, adding that the incident took place near the Hotel Negresco. Terrified pedestrians screamed as they fled the area. “It was absolute chaos,” he said.
A security cordon was established, closing off the central Place Massena by 11.30pm GMT, another AFP correspondent said.
Updated
at 11.13pm BST
10.52pm BST
22:52
Christian Estrosi, the official in question, tweeted: “the driver of a truck seems to have killed dozens of people. Stay indoors for the time being. More information is to follow.”
Cher niçois, le chauffeur d'un camion semble avoir fait des dizaines de morts. Restez pour le moment à votre domicile. Plus d'infos à venir
Updated
at 11.13pm BST
10.48pm BST
22:48
Dozens of people have been killed by a lorry that ploughed into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, according to the mayor of the southern French city.
Updated
at 11.13pm BST