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

Train driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo being helped from the site of the horrific train accident.
Train driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo being helped from the site of the horrific train accident.

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.

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Amo has been provisionally charged with multiple counts of negligent homicide.