Trial begins for 2013 Spanish train crash that killed 80

MADRID—The trial of the Spanish train driver, the former head of traffic safety at state-owned rail infrastructure operator Adif, began on Wednesday over a train accident that killed 80 people in the summer of 2013, with demonstrators as one of the defendants. beat people up. A brawl outside the court.

A further 145 people were injured when the eight-car Albia 04155 high-speed train veered off the tracks and crashed into a concrete wall as it made a sharp turn near Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. burst into flames.

In its report, the Railway Accident Investigation Commission under the Department of Transportation concluded that the accident was caused by speeding and the driver, Francisco José Garzon, being distracted by a phone call from his boss. I was.

However, the Alvia 04155 Victims Association, one of two organizations representing victims, blames the accident not only on human error, but also on the railway’s security system.

Garzon’s lawyer, Manuel Prieto, told reporters on Wednesday that the railroad had safety deficiencies. did not comment. He previously told a parliamentary committee in 2018 that he was not responsible for the safety of the line in question.

One of the demonstrators punched Cortavitarte in the back as he was being escorted by police while he was mocked by the relatives of the victims of the accident.

Television footage outside a courtroom in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, in northwestern Spain, showed the perpetrators being led away by police.

Prosecutors are seeking four years’ imprisonment and deprivation of their licenses for both defendants. They are charged with 80 counts of manslaughter for gross professional negligence, 145 counts of bodily injury, and one count of compensatory damages.

Earlier this week, members of the association protested in front of the Spanish parliament in Madrid, calling for justice.

“There are people who have died who are no longer here. There will never be justice for them,” spokesman Jesus Dominguez told state broadcaster TVE Wednesday before the trial began.

The proceedings, which will be held at the Cultural Center of Santiago de Compostela, are expected to last several months with more than 700 witnesses and experts nominated.

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