Train driver to face trial for worst accident in decades in Spain

Train driver to face trial for worst accident in decades in Spain. The tragic accident resulted in 80 people dying.

A former senior official and a train driver in Spain are set to face trial for the worst train accident to take place in the country in decades. The tragic accident happened in 2013. A Spanish court in Galicia has now said that the former senior official and the train driver will stand trial.

The accident took place in Spain’s Santiago de Compostela in July 2013. The train had been approaching a curve at over double the speed limit when it derailed. The train then slammed into a concrete wall, tragically killing 80 people.

The two accused are facing prison sentences. The prosecutor has requested four years in jail for both the head of traffic safety and the train driver. The two people have been accused of 80 crimes of homicide due to gross professional negligence. They have also been charged with a single crime of damage and 145 crimes of injury due to gross professional negligence.

The accident has taken so long to come to trial due to the lengthy investigation. Officials had attempted to determine if other senior officials had any responsibility for the accident. These claims were eventually dismissed though. After eight long years the matter is finally heading to trial.

At this moment though no date has been set for the trial to begin.

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