Death toll rises to 77 in train crash(North-Western Spain)

25 JULY 2013

At least 77 people have been killed and more
than 100 injured as a passenger train derailed
in north-western Spain.

The train, which was heading from Madrid to
Ferrol, crashed off off the tracks near Santiago
de Compostela in Galicia.
More than 70 bodies are reported to have
been removed from the wreckage.
State-owned train operator Renfe said in a
statement that 218 passengers and an
unspecified number of staff were on board at
the time of the accident. Renfe said the
derailment happened at 8.41pm local time on
a high-speed section that was inaugurated two
years ago.
Feast day festivities planned in Santiago de
Compostela were cancelled, town hall
spokeswoman Maria Pardo told Spanish
National television TVE.
A photographer at the scene said he saw
dozens of what appeared to be dead bodies
being extracted from the wreck by emergency
workers. TVE showed footage of what appeared
to be several bodies covered by blankets
alongside the tracks next to the damaged train
wagons and rescue workers entering toppled
carriages through broken windows.
The accident occurred near the station in
Santiago de Compostela, 60 miles south of El
Ferrol. Rescue workers were also seen in the
television images caring for people still inside
some of the wagons.
Television footage showed one wagon pointing
upwards into the air with one of its ends
twisted and disfigured. Another carriage that
had been severed in two could be seen lying on
a road near the track.