Four people are confirmed dead and dozens injured after a passenger train heading for Porto derailed.
The train was en route from Vigo in Galicia to Porto. The incident occurred in the northwest town of O Porriño in Galicia around 9.30 Friday morning.
The Portuguese driver of the train and the ticket inspector, a man from Vigo, are reported to be among the confirmed fatalities.
The train was operated by Portuguese state-run company Comboios de Portugal which runs joint services with Spanish rail operator Renfe.
The train derailed at a bridge on approach to the O Porriño station. It was 12 km into the journey with 69 passengers on board.
The cause of the crash is not yet known. An investigation has already begun.
Health authorities confirmed that around 47 people were being treated for injuries sustained in the crash. Of those hurt, 42 were described as suffering "light injuries" while seven were in a "serious condition".
Renfe confirmed on Twitter that there had been a derailment, expressed condolences to the victims and their relatives and promised more information soon.
The mayor of O Porriño, Eva García de la Torre, told reporters that the crash occured in an area where construction was underway to alter the tracks to allow for a high speed rail link.
The speed limit in the approach to the station is 30km/h. Passengers report that the train was not travelling at speed at the time, according to local newspaper La Voz de Galicia.
Three carriages came off the tracks and the first could be seen lurching to one side, the front of the train completely mangled. Photographs indicate that it could have crashed into an electricity pylon.
Ramon Gonzalez, a passenger on the train who was interviewed by Spanish television, said there was a "very strong bang."
"It was full of black smoke," he said over the phone. "It's a straight line... so this isn't normal.
"There are still some injured here but very not serious, the seriously injured were quickly evacuated."
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