At least 13 people have been killed and another 20 injured after a van ploughed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona. Police are hunting for the driver of a white Fiat van, who fled on foot after the attack.

Police have closed Las Ramblas in addition to the main streets. The commercial establishments and restaurants have been closed and also the public transport of metro and buses. Renfe stations in Plaza Cataluña and Paseo de Gràcia have been evacuated and closed to the public in the aftermath of the attack. Catalonia’s interior minister Joaquim Forn told reporters: “Unfortunately the number of fatalities will likely rise.”

There were two cruise ships docked in the port of Barcelona at the time of the terror attack, P&O Britannia and TUI Discovery 2. According to a passenger on board P&O Britannia the captain has announced he is sailing close to the Spanish coastline to allow passengers to phone their families to let them know they are safe, also he has informed head office In Southampton that all passengers and crew are back safe on board.

There is no news about the passengers and crew on TUI Discovery 2 operated by Thomson Cruises.

Although Spain has been on terror alert since 2015, didn’t suffer any terrorist attacks since the coordinated explosion of bombs on the commuter train in Madrid on 11 March 2004 with 192 dead and more than 2,000 wounded. In the past year, there have been eight attacks around Europe.

Our hearts go out to all in Barcelona.