A 31-year-old Guardia Civil officer from Sevilla has been confirmed dead following Wednesday’s train collision in Toledo.

Jose Manuel Chacon was travelling to the Andalucian capital when the disaster struck.

He served in the Guardia Civil’s Technical Judicial Police Unit in Madrid and lived in nearby Las Rozas. He had been with the force for five years.

His family endured hours without news before receiving confirmation of his death at around 3pm on Wednesday.

Relatives had gathered at Sevilla-Santa Justa station, where a support centre had been set up for the families of passengers involved in the collision.

There was a brief moment of hope when Chacon’s mother told reporters her son had been located. Shortly afterwards, however, the family learned he was among those killed.

Fellow officers accompanied his relatives at the station and supported them during the identification process.

The Guardia Civil confirmed his death on Wednesday afternoon and expressed its condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. It also offered support to everyone affected and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Police association Jusapol Social also paid tribute, describing the loss of a fellow officer as a particularly painful blow.

At least five Guardia Civil officers were travelling on the trains involved in the collision, according to El Mundo.

Three escaped unharmed, including two members of the force’s Protection and Security Service, known as SEPROSE, who were able to leave their train without assistance.

A fifth officer, aged 26 and assigned to security duties at the Interior Ministry, remained missing on Wednesday night.

Colleagues said contact with his mobile phone was lost after the crash. His fate had not been confirmed.