Spanish train driver Garzon to be questioned by judge
The crash was one of the worst rail disasters in recent Spanish history
The driver of a train that crashed near the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela on Wednesday killing 78 people is due to appear before a judge.
Francisco Jose Garzon Amo has been detained on suspicion of reckless homicide and the judge will decide whether to press formal charges.
Mr Garzon is suspected of driving too fast on a bend.
Reports say the train was travelling at more than double the speed limit at the time of the crash.
Mr Garzon, 52, was pictured being escorted away from the wreckage by police, blood pouring from a head injury. He left hospital on Saturday and was immediately taken to the central police station in Santiago.
He has so far refused to make a statement or answer questions.
Francisco Jose Garzon Amo suffered a head injury in the crash
Sunday's court hearing will be closed but the judge will decide whether to remand the driver as an official suspect, release him on bail, or free him without charge.
If the judge finds enough evidence for a criminal trial, Mr Garzon will be charged and a date set.
At least 130 people were taken to hospital after the accident and 30 remained in a critical condition on Saturday.
All eight carriages of the train - packed with more than 200 passengers - careered off the tracks into a concrete wall as they sped around the curve on the express route between Madrid and the port city of Ferrol on the Galician coast.
Leaking diesel burst into flames in some of the carriages.
The train's data recording "black box" is with the judge in charge of the investigation. Officials have so far not said how fast the train was going when it derailed.
Gonzalo Ferre, president of Spanish rail network administrator Adif, said the driver should have started slowing the train 4km (2.5 miles) before the spot where the accident happened.
The president of Spanish train operator Renfe, Julio Gomez Pomar, has said that the train had no technical problems.
He said the driver had 30 years' experience with the company and had been operating trains on the line for more than a year.
People from several nationalities were among the injured, including five US citizens and one Briton. One American was among the dead.
Some victims have had to be identified using DNA matches due to the extent of their injuries.
PM Mariano Rajoy, who hails from the city of the crash, declared three days of official mourning on Thursday.
The crash was one of the worst rail disasters in Spanish history.
No comments:
Post a Comment