Train crash in Spain occurred due to driver's fault

The terrible accident with a passenger train that derailed near the town of Santiago de Compostela in Spain took place due to the fault of the train driver. The death toll in Spain's most disastrous train crash has climbed to 78 so far.

Spain's El Pais newspaper exposed the record of a radio message from the train conductor, who reported that he had exceeded the speed limit. Spanish media also published the video of the crash. Racing at high speed, the train lurches, derails and slams into the concrete barrier, continuing to move.

"He [the train conductor] said that the train was making a turn at a speed of 190 km/h, then he mentioned 200, but then, after entering the turn, he again said: "I'm on 190," sources of the publication said.

The turn, where the crash occurred in Galicia, is a very complex one. A train has to perform such a turn at a speed of not higher than 80 km/h.

Another conversation was recorded after the accident, when one of the drivers was trapped in the cab and was on radio with a traffic officer. "I hope that no one has died, it would be on my conscience," said the driver, when he was unaware of the number of victims. The driver was also repeating in the conversation with the traffic officer: "We are people, we are people!"

Many European railways are equipped with ERTMS system that ensures trains do not exceed speed limits. The system was not installed on the part of the railway, where the tragedy occurred.