"I am available to help": Valverde's message of support after deadly train collision in Spain

Real Madrid captain Valverde offered support to victims and families after a train collision near Toledo killed at least 68 people, sharing missing person alerts on Instagram.

Spain mourned Wednesday after two high-speed trains collided approximately 150 kilometres south of Madrid, killing at least 68 people and injuring over 100. Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde responded to the tragedy by offering his support to victims and their families. "I am available to help in every way necessary and to collaborate in spreading information that could help find missing persons," he wrote on Instagram to his 22 million followers. The 28-year-old Uruguayan has since shared missing person alerts from relatives of train passengers and information about blood donation centres in the region. Real Madrid observed a minute of silence before training, and 24 Copa del Rey first-round matches were postponed as a mark of respect. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared three days of national mourning from Thursday to Saturday. The collision ranks among Spain's worst railway disasters in recent history, coming less than a year after another train collision in Adamuz, Andalusia, which killed 46 people.