Julian Cadman’s family have confirmed the seven-year-old Sydney boy was among the 13 victims of the Barcelona terror attack.

In a statement from the family, released by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade early Monday morning (AEST), Julian was described as an “energetic, funny and cheeky” boy.

“Julian was a much loved and adored member of our family,” the family’s statement said.

“As he was enjoying the sights of Barcelona with his mother, Julian was sadly taken from us. He was so energetic, funny and cheeky, always bringing a smile to our faces.

“We are so blessed to have had him in our lives and will remember his smiles and hold his memory dear to our hearts.”

Julian’s family said it would be making no further comments on the tragedy and asked for privacy it as it grieves.

The family’s statement came shortly after a tweet from the verified Alerta Desaparecido Twitter account, which announced the death in Spanish.

The translated statement said: “The family of Julian Cadman has told us that unfortunately he is one of the victims of the attack and has asked us to thank all the people who have spread the news.

“In these so unjust, hard and painful moments we share in the feeling of the relatives and friends of Julian. Rest in peace.”

The seven-year-old was separated from his mother in the Barcelona van attack on Las Ramblas boulevard.

Multiple news outlets over the weekend reported the boy, a British-Australian national, had been found alive in hospital. But police said this was “false information”.

Julian’s father, Andrew Cadman, landed in Barcelona on Saturday night (local time) to join the search for his son, who was a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom.

Australian consular officials and police rushed him from the airport to Barcelona’s main justice and forensic centre − where the body of victims are being held.

He has since been offered psychological support.

Mr Cadman also visited his wife and Julian’s mother, Jom, at hospital, where she is in a stable condition after being seriously injured in the attack.

Julian, seven, was separated from his mother Jom in the Barcelona attack. His mother remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital. Photo: Facebook

Jom Cadman and her son were in Barcelona to attend a wedding over the weekend. They were on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard Thursday when a white Fiat van ploughed into pedestrians.

Greg Whitby, the head the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta which includes Julian’s school in Sydney’s Lalor Park, said Julian was “curious and energetic, with a kind and generous heart” who was loved by his teachers and classmates.

Mr Whitby said the church had offered help to the family and the school would have counsellors on hand for students, teachers and staff to speak to “for as long as they are needed”.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said in a statement she was “deeply saddened” to confirm the boy’s death, while UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said in a tweet: “I send my sincerest sympathies to the family of Julian Cadman and all those who loved him. His death is a tragedy.”

Sydney woman Suria Intan, who was on the last few days of a European holiday with friends, is also in a serious condition in hospital after being injured in the attack.

Australian men Robert Bogdanovski and Anthony Colombini, from Victoria, received minor injuries in the car attack. They have been discharged from hospital.

Spanish royalty, the nation’s Prime Minister and tourists mourned the victims at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Basilica on Sunday.

Spain’s King Felipe VI (centre), Queen Letizia and Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (left) leave a mass commemorating the victims on Sunday. Photo: Getty

Fourteen victims died and more than 100 others were injured in twin attacks in Spain.

On Friday morning (local time), suspects drove an Audi A3 down a promenade in the coastal town of Cambrils, west of Barcelona. The man crashed the car and attacked passers-by with knives and axes, police said.

Ana Maria Suarez, 61, was critically injured and later died in hospital. Five people and a police officer were injured in the second attack.

A hunt continues for Younes Abouyaaquoub.

Police killed five of the suspects, including Moussa Oukabir, 17, El Houssaine Abouyaaqoub, 19, Said Aallaa, 19, Omar Hychami, 21, and Mohamed Hychami, 24.

The driver behind Thursday’s van attack may still be alive and on the run. Police are hunting for Moroccan-born Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, but authorities announced the extremist cell behind the tragedy has been “fully dismantled”.

Police believe an earlier explosion at a house in Alcanar, 200 kilometres from Barcelona, was also linked to the attacks.

It’s believed the men had planned more sophisticated assaults but were rushed into a hurried attack when the botched homemade bomb accidentally detonated.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the terror group’s involvement has not been verified.

First victims named

The youngest Las Ramblas victim was three-year-old Spanish boy Javier Martinez, who was killed with his great-uncle, Francisco Lopez Rodriguez, 57.

Italian father-of-two Bruno Gullotta, 35, threw himself in front of his two young children in the van attack. He saved their lives but was tragically killed.

US construction worker Jared Tucker, 42, was killed while holidaying to celebrate his first wedding anniversary with his wife.

A Portuguese grandmother and granddaughter, aged 74 and 20, were both killed during a holiday to celebrate the grandmother’s birthday.

Other victims have been named as Belgian mother-of-two Elke Vanbockrijck, 44, Spanish grandfather Francisco López Rodríguez, 57, Italian engineer Luca Russo, 25, Spanish woman Pepita Codina, 75, and Canadian father Ian Moore Wilson, 53. Spanish-Argentinian woman Silvina Alejandra Pereyra, 40, and Spanish woman Ana Maria Suarez have also been named as among the victims.

The oldest victim was Italian woman Carmen Lopardo, 80.

−with AAP