Four British nationals are believed to be among 11 people killed after a fast-moving wildfire swept through southern Spain, authorities have said.
Emergency services in the Andalusia region discovered four bodies inside a burnt-out vehicle near the village of Bédar, in Almería province.
Officials believe those inside the car were British after establishing the vehicle had a right-hand drive steering wheel, although formal identification has yet to be completed.
Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s Minister for Health and Emergencies, said the victims were believed to be “of British origin”, with identification work continuing.
Authorities believe the remaining seven people who died were also foreign tourists.
Investigators say many of the victims abandoned their vehicles as the wildfire spread rapidly before attempting to escape on foot through rugged terrain.
According to Mr Sanz, some chose to flee via a dry riverbed rather than following the evacuation route recommended by emergency services.
He said: “The decision to take another route instead of the designated evacuation route became a fatal trap.”
The wildfire has now claimed 11 lives, while four people remain seriously injured and eight others have suffered less serious injuries.
Officials had initially reported that 12 people had died, but the figure has since been revised to 11 as search and rescue operations continue. The death toll remains provisional.
More than 122 people have been evacuated from the affected area, while the blaze has destroyed over 3,000 hectares of land.
Describing the scale and speed of the incident, Mr Sanz said: “The fire has been very fast, and evidently the consequences have been terrible.
He added: “There are no words for so much pain,” as he offered his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not yet confirmed the identities of the four people believed to be British but is expected to work with Spanish authorities as formal identification continues.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.
