Train kills 12 crossing tracks to Spanish festival

MADRID (Reuters) - Twelve people were killed when a high-speed train slammed into them as they tried to cross a railway line to get to a festival on a beach near Barcelona late Wednesday.

Thirteen others were injured in the accident at about 11:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m. British time) as a group of mostly young people headed for the annual Saint John's Day celebration at the town of Castelldefels, the Catalan government said.

Emergency services found dismembered bodies scattered at the scene, a short distance from the Castelldefels beach.

One youth told SER radio the revellers had just got off a train.

"At that moment a train came from the other direction and ran everyone over," said the youth, who gave his name only as Fernando.

"The accident has taken 12 lives and there's 13 injured, three in critical condition. I wish them a quick recovery," said Joan Saura, the Catalan regional government's interior minister.

Dozens of people had been trying to cross the track at an unauthorised point instead of using an underpass on the line between Barcelona and Alicante, the mayor of Castelldefels said.

Earlier reports suggested the underpass had been closed or not well signed, but the mayor said it had been open.

Railway operator Renfe said it would carry out a full investigation.

Spain's public works minister Jose Blanco said he would cut short his visit to Luxembourg to go to the scene later on Thursday. He urged an investigation as soon as possible.

St. John's Day, June 24, is a public holiday in many parts of Spain and bonfire celebrations traditionally begin the night before.

The accident was Spain's worst rail accident since 2003, when 19 people died when two trains collided near the central town of Chinchilla.

(Reporting by Nigel Davies and Martin Roberts; editing by Andrew Roche)