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Spanish train crash driver to face judge Spanish train crash driver faces judge
(about 5 hours later)
The driver of the train involved in Spain's worst rail disaster in almost 70 years was due to be brought before a judge on Sunday after spending a night in the cells of Santiago de Compostela's central police station. The driver of the train involved in Spain's worst rail disaster in almost 70 years was brought before a judge for questioning on Sunday after spending a night in the cells of Santiago de Compostela's central police station.
Francisco Garzón is formally accused of manslaughter caused by recklessness and risks a 12-year prison sentence. He has the right, but no obligation, to make a statement. Francisco Garzón, who has been formally accused of manslaughter caused by recklessness, risks a 12-year prison sentence if convicted. He has the right, but no obligation, to make a statement to the closed-door hearing.
Spanish interior minister, Jorge Fernandez, said at the weekend there was sufficient evidence to charge Garzon with reckless homicide amid evidence that he was travelling at more than double the speed limit at the time of the crash.
The death toll from the incident was increased to 79 on Sunday after another of the victims died in hospital.
As the 52-year-old Garzón left hospital on Saturday, he made no response when a relative of one of the injured hurled abuse at him, according to an witness account in the newspaper El Correo Gallego. Handcuffed and wearing dark glasses, Garzón stood impassively. The driver was later escorted out of the building by a side door and driven away in a car with darkened windows.
The railway drivers' union expressed concern that Garzón had been formally accused before the extraction and analysis of data from the so-called "black boxes". It is hoped the onboard recorders will offer clues to why a driver known for his prudence hurtled into a curve at more than twice the 80km/h (49mph) limit.
Carla Serrano, aged 19 from Madrid, who survived the crash with minor injuries, said that seconds before the crash the display panel in her carriage showed the train was travelling at 210km/h. Her boyfriend pointed it out to her. "I looked up and said: 'Well, yes,'" she said.
At the weekend, several colleagues and neighbours of Garzón came forward to defend him, describing him as a responsible and cautious driver. Eladio Rodríguez, regional head of the transport sector of the socialist General Workers' Union said: "There have to be causes other than the alleged human error."
Juan Jesús García Fraile of the railway workers' union cautioned that, without the data from the black boxes, "we do not know what happened".
As investigators waited for his version of events, claims were made of delays in co-ordinating the rescue operation. The daily El País said it had obtained reports compiled by the emergency services that showed it took two hours to declare the state of alert needed to mobilise help from other provinces.As investigators waited for his version of events, claims were made of delays in co-ordinating the rescue operation. The daily El País said it had obtained reports compiled by the emergency services that showed it took two hours to declare the state of alert needed to mobilise help from other provinces.
The inhabitants of the neighbourhood of Angrois, where the crash took place, have been widely praised in Spain for their courageous response to the disaster. Without regard for their own safety, they poured on to the tracks, smashing in the windows of the carriages with rocks to pull out the injured, dead and dying.The inhabitants of the neighbourhood of Angrois, where the crash took place, have been widely praised in Spain for their courageous response to the disaster. Without regard for their own safety, they poured on to the tracks, smashing in the windows of the carriages with rocks to pull out the injured, dead and dying.
But the paper said their efforts were offset by official delays. A mobile communications centre, vital for co-ordinating the work of the rescue services, took 46 minutes to reach the scene, El País said.But the paper said their efforts were offset by official delays. A mobile communications centre, vital for co-ordinating the work of the rescue services, took 46 minutes to reach the scene, El País said.
On Saturday, the police announced they had identified the last of the victims and that the final death toll stood at 78. That exceeded by one the number who died in a collision between Seville and Cadiz in 1972. The most deadly previous crash was in 1944 when up to 800 people are said to have died at Torre del Bierzo in north central Spain. The dictatorship of General Franco covered up the scale of the tragedy.
The most deadly previous crash was in 1944 when between 500 and 800 people are estimated to have died at Torre del Bierzo in north central Spain. The then dictatorship of General Francisco Franco covered up the scale of the tragedy.
As the 52-year-old Garzón left hospital on Saturday, he made no response when a relative of one of the injured hurled abuse at him, according to an eyewitness account in the newspaper El Correo Gallego. Handcuffed and wearing dark glasses, Garzón stood impassively between two uniformed police officers as the woman screamed: "I hope you rot in hell, you filthy bastard." The driver was escorted out of the building by a side door and driven away in a car with darkened windows.
The railway drivers' union expressed concern that Garzón had been formally accused before the extraction and analysis of data from the so-called "black boxes". It is hoped the onboard recorders will offer clues to why a driver known for his prudence hurtled into a curve at more than twice the 80km/h (49mph) limit.
Carla Serrano, aged 19 from Madrid, who survived the crash with minor injuries, said that seconds before the crash the display panel in her carriage showed the train was travelling at 210km/h. Her boyfriend pointed it out to her. "I looked up and said: 'Well, yes,'" she said.
At the weekend, several colleagues and neighbours of Garzón came forward to defend him. Eladio Rodríguez, regional head of the transport sector of the socialist General Workers' Union said: "There have to be causes other than the alleged human error."
Juan Jesús García Fraile of the railway workers' union cautioned that without the data from the black boxes, "we do not know what happened".
The days since the accident have seen the heads of the Spanish state rail company, Renfe, and the network operator, Adif, put the blame squarely on the driver. The view the courts take of the crash could have important financial repercussions.The days since the accident have seen the heads of the Spanish state rail company, Renfe, and the network operator, Adif, put the blame squarely on the driver. The view the courts take of the crash could have important financial repercussions.
Renfe is among the firms bidding for a €13bn contract to build a high-speed rail link in Brazil. The terms of the tender reportedly exclude firms involved in the running of high-speed train systems where an accident has taken place in the preceding five years.Renfe is among the firms bidding for a €13bn contract to build a high-speed rail link in Brazil. The terms of the tender reportedly exclude firms involved in the running of high-speed train systems where an accident has taken place in the preceding five years.
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