The partner of a former Chelsea star has revealed her shock after narrowly escaping a fatal train crash in Spain that killed at least 69 people

The partner of former Chelsea footballer Marc Cucurella has revealed her shock after travelling on the train directly behind one involved in a fatal collision in Toledo, Spain, which killed at least 69 people.

Claudia Rodriguez, who has three children with the Real Madrid defender, was travelling to Malaga when two trains collided around 40 miles south of Madrid on Wednesday. She later took to social media to express her distress and offer her condolences to the victims' families.

"I was on my way to Malaga on the train behind it; I'm in shock. My heart goes out to the victims' families and friends," she wrote, alongside a post sharing helplines set up to support passengers and their loved ones.

The crash, one of the deadliest railway disasters of the 21st century, occurred on the high-speed line between Madrid and Seville. An AVE train collided with a stationary Iryo service, with both trains travelling from Madrid's Atocha station towards Santa Justa in Seville.

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Almost 550 people were on board the two trains when the collision happened at 8.54am local time. At the time of writing, at least 69 people had been confirmed dead, while more than 100 others were injured. A total of 50 people remain in hospital hospital, including 15 in a serious condition.

Following the collision, two carriages plunged down an embankment, while a section of rail pierced one of the carriages and could be seen protruding from the wreckage.

Early reports suggested the automated signalling system had failed, leaving the train operating under human control. Government sources indicated that human error involving an operator at the railway infrastructure manager Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF) was a possible cause of the disaster.

Several hours after the collision, Rodriguez reassured her followers that she was safe and explained that her train had not been damaged. It had been travelling a considerable distance behind the train involved in the crash, meaning she escaped the worst of the tragedy.

"Guys, I'm fine. My train wasn't affected at all, as there was a long way between my train and the train that was involved in the accident," she posted.

She added that the experience had left her shaken by how easily the circumstances could have been different.

"It really unsettled me to think that if it had happened later, it would have happened to my train, but, please, it's nothing compared to what the people who were actually on it must have gone through," she said.

Cucurella also shared a message of support for those affected by the disaster, offering his condolences to the victims and their loved ones.

"A huge hug to everyone affected by the accident in Toledo and to their families. Stay strong, and all my love at this difficult time," wrote the Spain World Cup winner.

As a mark of respect, all 24 Copa del Rey first-round matches scheduled for October 28 were postponed. Spanish football clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, also expressed their condolences to the victims and their families.

Cucurella and Rodriguez have been together since 2018, although they are not married. They have three children together.

The defender enjoyed a successful five-year spell in the Premier League, spending the bulk of that time at Chelsea before joining Real Madrid in a £50million deal in June. He went on to feature in Spain's World Cup-winning side a few weeks later.