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Spain Train Crash: Galicia Derailment Kills 78
BBC NEWS, EUROPE
July 25, 2013: At least 78 people have been killed in the passenger train derailment in northwestern Spain, officials say. More than 140 were hurt, 20 seriously, after all eight carriages of the Madrid to Ferrol train came off the tracks near Santiago de Compostela.
Media reports say the train may have been traveling at more than twice the speed limit around a curve. It is the worst train crash in Spain in 40 years. Seven days of mourning have been declared in the Galicia region.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was born in Santiago de Compostela, has arrived at the scene of the accident. "I want to express my affection and solidarity with the victims of the terrible train accident in Santiago," Mr Rajoy said earlier.
The black box of the train is now with the judge in charge of the investigation.
Railway firm Renfe said the train came off the tracks on a bend about 3 or 4km (2-2.5 miles) from Santiago de Compostela station at 20:41 local time (18:41 GMT) on Wednesday. It was on the express route between the capital, Madrid, and the ship-building city of Ferrol on the Galician coast, with 218 passengers on board - in addition to a unknown number of crew members.
Firefighter Jaime Tizon, one of the first to reach the site of the crash, described the scene as "hell". "I'm coming from hell, I couldn't tell you if the engine was on fire, or one of the carriages or what..." he told ABC after dragging the injured and bodies from the train.
Renfe says it and the track operating company Adif are collaborating with a judge appointed to investigate the accident. One of the drivers who was trapped in the cab of the train after the accident is quoted as saying moments after the crash that the train had taken the curve at 190 km/h (118mph) when entering the curve, unidentified investigation sources told El Pais newspaper. The speed limit on that section of track is 80km/h. "I hope no one died because it will weigh on my conscience," he said.
The derailment happened on the eve of Santiago de Compostela's main annual festival where thousands of Christian pilgrims were expected to flock to the city in honor of Saint James. The city's tourism board said all festivities planned for Thursday have been cancelled.
