UPDATE: 1:20 PM EST
President Obama has released a statement regarding the deadly crash.
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The death toll from the deadly train derailment on Wednesday is now at 80, as officials call it the worst train crash in Spain’s history.
More than 140 passengers were hurt during the crash and 36 passengers were seriously injured after all eight carriages of the train came off the tracks near Santiago de Compostela.
Reports say the train was traveling more than twice the speed limit around a curve where the crash took place.
Spain’s El Pais newspaper said that it was told by the operator of the train that it was going 190km/h on the stretch of track that has a limit of 80km/h. Another Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, also reported that the train may have approached speeds of up to 190 km/h. But neither report has been confirmed and Spain’s national rail operator has not commented on the allegation.
The driver of the train has been put under a formal investigation, as his actions might have caused the derailment.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has declared three days of national mourning.
“For someone from Santiago, like myself, believe me, this is the saddest Day of Saint James of my life.”
And while it is too early to determine the exact cause of the crash, officials are ruling out a terrorist attack.
Rajoystated there will be one judicial investigation and the other investigation will consist of commission for rail accidents.
Our prayers go out to the victims’ families.
