14 injured, two critically, as tree collapses on PortAventura roller coaster

Fourteen people are injured, two of them critically, after an accident at the PortAventura amusement park in Salou, Tarragona. 

According to a statement from PortAventura, a strong gust of wind caused a nearby tree to fall near the roller coaster, with some branches reportedly hitting the attraction's riders.

The accident occurred on the Tomahawk roller coaster, which is usually popular among children and families. 

Among the injured, two are children, while the two critically injured are adults, said the deputy territorial head of the SEM in Tarragona, Juan Antonio Escorcia, on Catalunya Ràdio.

"This Sunday, an unforeseen incident occurred due to the fall of a tree near the Tomahawk attraction. Some branches fell on passengers on the ride," PortAventura said in a statement. 

"After activating our emergency protocols, the affected people were immediately attended to by our first aid teams together with the SEM [Medical Emergency Service] and subsequently some of the injured were transported to the hospital," the statement continued. 

"This is an incident that has nothing to do with the operation and maintenance of our attractions, which adhere to the highest safety standards and undergo rigorous daily inspections," PortAventura said.

Two critically injured people were taken to Bellvitge Hospital in Barcelona and Joan XXIII Hospital in Tarragona, while three less serious cases were evacuated to Santa Tecla Hospital and Reus Hospital. Eight ambulances and a helicopter were deployed.

Over the morning, an alert had been activated due to strong wind gusts in southern Catalonia. Users who were at PortAventura this morning confirmed that most of the attractions were closed due to the strong gusts of wind.