The driver’s conscience

The driver of the train that derailed in Galicia sent a message via his radio saying that his back and ribs hurt and that he was trapped in his compartment.

Over the radio he was heard reportedly: “We are only human! We are only human!” “I hope that there are no deaths because they would weigh heavily on my conscience,” he added.

Supposedly the train driver had said to his other rail employees that the train had gone round the bend at 190 kilometres per hour before later mentioning the speed of 200 kilometres per hour. Allegedly he returned to his previous story of 190.

The driver has not said why he was travelling at more than double the speed indicated at that bend at the time of the accident, which should only be at 80 kilometres per hour. Only the investigation will tell whether it was a technical fault or a human error. According to the driver however, the train did not brake in time before the curve resulting in the speed going around.

Regular users of the train know the bend well. On the day the route was inaugurated in 2011, the passengers were caught off balance and comments were made saying that the train felt like it was hardly moving until that point.