- 17 Aug 2017 17:02
#14834198
http://news.sky.com/story/van-hits-crow ... a-10992725
Two armed men have taken hostages in a Turkish restaurant in the capital of Catalonia after a crash, according to local media.
16:59, UK,
Thursday 17 August 2017
Authorities push people back on streets of Barcelona following an incident involving a van and a crowd
Streets cordoned off in Barcelona following incident
Police say a "massive crash" in Barcelona city centre in which "several" people were injured is a terrorist attack.
A white van mounted the pavement of the main tourist area in the city and struck several people, police said.
El Pais newspaper report that intercepted police communications say there are 20 wounded and one dead.
Two armed men have since entered a restaurant in the city and have taken hostages, one TV station is reporting.
Debris on the ground after a van hit pedestrians in Barcelona
Debris on the ground after a van hit pedestrians in Barcelona
Pictures from the scene of the crash show emergency services and civilians attending to at least two people on the ground.
One social media video post shows bodies strewn across the pavement for at least 100 metres of the famous street.
The Ministry of the Interior said on Twitter: "There has just been a massive crash on the Ramblas in Barcelona by a person with a van. There are injured."
A police car blocks the road after the collision
A police car blocks the road after the collision
Emergency services in Catalonia say they have asked the Metro and train services in the area to close.
They have also cordoned off the wide street and shut down several of the shops.
Social media footage showed many people fleeing the area in alarm and a helicopter flying overhead.
The National Police have told people to avoid Plaza Catalunya area after the smash in Las Ramblas.
The scene after the incident
Image:
The scene after the incident
An eyewitness, lawyer Aamer Anwar, who's at a conference in the city, said: "All of a sudden I heard a crashing noise, and the whole street just started to run screaming.
"I saw a woman next to me screaming for her kids."
El Pais newspaper said the driver fled the vehicle on foot.