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Barcelona attack: van driven into crowd in Las Ramblas district - latest updates Barcelona attack: van driven into crowd in Las Ramblas district - latest updates
(35 minutes later)
5.40pm BST
17:40
Giles Tremlett
TV3 is reporting that “up to” six people dead, but does not name its sources. The spokeswoman for a chain of ten restaurants in the area said that some 600 people were stuck inside their restaurants, waiting for permission from the police to leave
Those people may be having trouble communicating with friends because mobile phone coverage in the area is saturated.
Local police say they still do not know the motivation for the attack, but are treating it as terrorism. The Cadena Ser radio station reports that a Spanish identity card with an Arabic name has been found inside the van.
There are reports of police ushering people away from a Turkish restaurant by the Ramblas. There are also reports that at least one gunman is holed up in a Turkish restaurant.
5.38pm BST
17:38
Jessica Elgot
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for UK citizens in Barcelona, telling them to avoid Las Ramblas. “We are in contact with the Spanish authorities and seeking more information following an incident in Barcelona. Anyone in the area should follow the advice of the emergency services,” an FCO spokesperson said. On the travel advice page for Spain on the FCO website, the updated advice says:
The British embassy in Madrid and consulate general in Barcelona are in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking further information following reports of an incident in central Barcelona.
Local authorities have advised people to stay inside and stay away from the Las Ramblas area of the city. If you’re in the immediate area you should take care and follow the advice of the local security authorities; press reports suggest that some public transport, particularly the metro, has been affected.
Updated
at 5.41pm BST
5.37pm BST
17:37
Police confirm there are fatalities in the Barcelona van attack
Spanish police have confirmed that an unknown number of of people have died in the terrorist attack in central Barcelona.
The number of those injured is unconfirmed, but reports suggest as many as 20 are believed to be hurt at the present moment.
18:15 Hi ha víctimes mortals i ferits arran de l'atropellament. NO hi ha hagut cap tiroteig a El Corte Inglés. Seguiu fonts oficials
The police have tweeted that there has been no shoot out in the department store El Corte Inglés and called on people to follow official sources for information.
Updated
at 5.40pm BST
5.31pm BST
17:31
The Spanish emergency services have told people in the area of Plaça Catalunya in Barcelona to stay where they are until told by police that they can leave.
Si os encontráis Si os encontráis en la zona de Plaza Cataluña en Barcelona quedaos donde estéis hasta que la policía diga que podéis salir
5.27pm BST
17:27
A producer at Sky News is at the scene on Las Ramblas and sent this dispatch:
Sky producer Mike Mawhinney said:
All around Las Ramblas, about three blocks off it, the streets are being completely locked off, people pushed back.
They’re searching the area for anything else, so obviously there’s the story you just mentioned about the restaurant, obviously a possible development.
When I arrived on the scene I saw two wounded people lying on the pavement, one was getting picked up and put onto a stretcher and lowered onto the ambulance and stretchered out, that looked quite serious.
The other seemed to be OK and was moving and later was being loaded up onto an ambulance and taken out.
Everybody’s been thrown into buildings, locked in, everyone’s told to get off the street. They pushed everybody back at least three blocks off the Las Ramblas as they were searching the areas.
There were armed teams, undercover police and the flying squad guys clearing the streets and trying to take control of the situation.
Obviously everybody’s a little bit jittery due to the circumstances and thinking about secondary devices or whatever else may happen after the main event.
From what I understand from one eyewitness, the vehicle entered Los Ramblas on the road side and then went on to the pedestrian side and went down the middle.
5.23pm BST
17:23
The president of the government of Catalonia has called for “maximum caution” in the wake of the terrorist van attack in Barcelona. He added that “all the attention” should be on the victims of the attack.
Màxima prudència i tota l'atenció a les víctimes en els successos d'aquesta tarda a Barcelona. Desplegat i coordinat tot l'operatiu policial
5.21pm BST
17:21
Around 80 people are currently sheltering in a church in Barcelona near the incident. Witnesses say that the doors are currently locked as reports circulate that there are possibly two armed men in a bar in the local area.
5.17pm BST
17:17
The Spanish police have asked people not to circulate images of the injured out of respect for their families.
🚩Por respeto a las víctimas y a sus familias, por favor, NO compartas imágenes de heridos en atropello de #Ramblas de Barcelona
5.14pm BST
17:14
Giles Tremlett
Eyewitness Jordi Lino was on a bus going down the Ramblas. He said:
First I saw people running and then the van. There were injured people in the middle of the Ramblas.
A taxi driver told TV3 that he saw people being run over by the van.
TV3 reported that at least one attacker was holed up in a Turkish restaurant called Bar Luna de Istanbul. These reports have not been confirmed by official channels.
5.13pm BST
17:13
The Ministry of the Interior in Spain said on Twitter: “There has just been a massive crash on the Ramblas in Barcelona by a person with a van. There are injured.”
Updated
at 5.30pm BST
5.09pm BST
17:09
Police in Barcelona have asked people around Plaça Catalunya to stay indoors. They have urged those concerned about friends and family to use social media, rather than mobile phone calls, to get in touch with friends and relatives to avoid overloading phone networks.
#Barcelona #Rambles If you are ok, please Inform your family using social networks to avoid the collapse of phone lines
Updated
at 5.14pm BST
5.08pm BST5.08pm BST
17:0817:08
An eye-witness has described seeing people laying on the ground after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas. A witness has described seeing people lying on the ground after the crash.
Steven Turner, who works in the area, spoke to the BBC: Steven Turner, who works in the area, told the BBC:
People in my office saw a van ramming into people on La Ramblas. I saw about three or four people laying on the ground.People in my office saw a van ramming into people on La Ramblas. I saw about three or four people laying on the ground.
There are lots of ambulances and armed police with assault rifles around now.There are lots of ambulances and armed police with assault rifles around now.
About five minutes later I heard lots of screams from the crowd and then they dispersed.About five minutes later I heard lots of screams from the crowd and then they dispersed.
Updated
at 5.09pm BST
5.01pm BST5.01pm BST
17:0117:01
Spanish PM says 'priority is to attend to the injured'Spanish PM says 'priority is to attend to the injured'
The Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, says he is in contact with all authorities following the Barcelona van crash and says the priority is to attend to the injured.The Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, says he is in contact with all authorities following the Barcelona van crash and says the priority is to attend to the injured.
En contacto con todas las administraciones. Prioridad: atender heridos en Las Ramblas y facilitar la labor de las Fuerzas de Seguridad. MR
UpdatedUpdated
at 5.06pm BST at 5.17pm BST
4.58pm BST4.58pm BST
16:5816:58
People on social media have been sharing videos of the crash on Las Ramblas, an area popular with tourists and locals. The videos appear to show people running away from cafes and restaurants.People on social media have been sharing videos of the crash on Las Ramblas, an area popular with tourists and locals. The videos appear to show people running away from cafes and restaurants.
Estampida ahora mismo en El Corte Inglés de Plaza Catalunya en Barcelona pic.twitter.com/72LLRmJjRkEstampida ahora mismo en El Corte Inglés de Plaza Catalunya en Barcelona pic.twitter.com/72LLRmJjRk
UpdatedUpdated
at 5.06pm BSTat 5.06pm BST
4.58pm BST4.58pm BST
16:5816:58
Reports of armed men entering a restaurantReports of armed men entering a restaurant
Reuters are quoting local media as saying two armed men have entered a restaurant in Barcelona after the van crash. At the moment this news is only from a single source.Reuters are quoting local media as saying two armed men have entered a restaurant in Barcelona after the van crash. At the moment this news is only from a single source.
UpdatedUpdated
at 5.07pm BSTat 5.07pm BST
4.57pm BST4.57pm BST
16:5716:57
Collision in Barcelona being treated as terror attack Collision in Barcelona being treated as terrorist attack
A van has crashed into pedestrians on Las Ramblas in the heart of Barcelona, which attracts thousands of tourists every day.A van has crashed into pedestrians on Las Ramblas in the heart of Barcelona, which attracts thousands of tourists every day.
Police have said there has been a major incident in a key tourist spot in Barcelona and have confirmed it is being treated as a “terrorist attack”. It is understood that police have requested that metro stations to be closed. Police have said there has been a major incident in the key tourist spot and have confirmed it is being treated as a “terrorist attack”. It is understood that police have requested that metro stations be closed.
The driver of the van is reported to have fled the scene on foot. The driver of the van is reported to have run away from the scene after the vehicle finally crashed into a newspaper kiosk.
Video which appears to be from the scene show a white van with a badly damaged bonnet, and people lying inert on the floor. Video which appears to be from the scene shows a white van with a badly damaged bonnet, and people lying inert on the ground.
The UK foreign office said they were aware of the incident but had no further comment for the moment. The UK Foreign Office said it was aware of the incident but had no further comment for the moment.
UpdatedUpdated
at 4.59pm BST at 5.08pm BST