Watch: At least 12 dead, dozens injured in train crash in southern Italy
Updated 1.33pm to raise death toll to 12 - At least 12 people died and dozens were injured when two passenger trains collided head-on in the southern heel of Italy late this morning, a spokesman for the fire service said.
The crash happened on a single stretch of track in countryside between the towns of Corato and Andria, police said.
An aerial image showed train carriages smashed and crumpled by the force of the impact, with debris spread out amongst olive trees which flanked both sides of the rail line.
"We are working with dozens of rescue teams to open up the carriages," said Luca Cari, a fire service spokesman, adding they had saved a child from the wreckage.
"The rescue is complicated because this happened in the middle of the countryside," Cari said.
There was no immediate reason given for the collision, which took place at around 11.30 am on a hot summer day.
"We won't stop until we get a clear explanation over what happened," Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told reporters, cutting short a visit to Milan in northern Italy.
More details to follow