Driver Of Crashed Train In Spain ‘Was On Phone’ At Time Of Crash

A Spanish court says “black box” data recorders show that a train conductor was on the phone and travelling at 153 km/h, almost twice the speed limit, when the vehicle derailed, killing 79 people.


Investigators say the train had been going as fast as 119 mp/h (192 km/h) shortly before the derailment and that the conductor Francisco Jose Garzon Amo activated the brakes “seconds before the crash.”

In a statement, the court said overnight that Amo was talking on the phone to an official of national rail company Renfe when the crash happened and apparently was consulting a paper document at the time.
Amo has been provisionally charged with multiple counts of negligent homicide.