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• published: 2013-07-25
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WARNING: Some people may find the footage distressing - Was passenger train travelling too fast in moments before smash? This is the horrifying moment a Spanish passenger train derailed killing at least 78 people and injuring scores more in the country's worst train accident in decades. The haunting footage, taken from a CCTV at track level, shows the train rounding a bend before a carriage appears to 'jump' causing a domino effect. The train's cabin skids along the tracks before flipping on its side and smashing into a concrete siding along with a number of other carriages. Today it was reported that the Class 730 train may have been travelling way over the speed limit as it went round a bend outside Santiago de Compostela. Investigators are likely to look at excessive speed as a possible cause of the horrific smash, which left 141 hurt, including one Briton in north-west Spain. The subsequent derailment left a scene of devastation, with toppled and smashed carriages lying alongside the track, bodies being laid out beside the line, and bloodied survivors being carried to safety. One passenger said the train, from Madrid to Ferrol, was "travelling very fast" moments before the derailment in what is Spain's worst train crash for more than 40 years. The Briton was one of 141 people injured, with casualties being treated in local hospitals. With the dead being taken to a makeshift morgue set up in a Santiago indoor sports arena, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was born in the city, visited the crash scene. Prime Minister David Cameron wrote to Mr Rajoy today, saying: "People in Britain have been greatly saddened by this tragedy. Please pass my deep condolences to those who have lost loved ones and my thoughts and prayers to all those who have been injured." Pilgrims converge on the Santiago de Compostela annually to celebrate a festival honouring St James, the disciple of Jesus whose remains are said to rest in a shrine. Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "I was very saddened to hear of the terrible train accident near Santiago de Compostela in Spain last night. "My thoughts are with all those affected and their friends and family. The British Embassy team in Spain are working closely with the Spanish authorities as they respond to this tragedy. "We know that one British citizen was injured in this accident and the embassy has been providing consular support." Lidia Cannon, who previously lived in the city and was visiting for the local fiesta celebrating St James, said she saw a woman who had lost a foot as a result of the train crash. She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "We heard a big bang, like, we thought it was an air crash, I thought it was a car crash, other people thought it was a bomb. It was very, very loud, the noise." Ms Cannon said people went to help and told of one man's experience of visiting the crash site. She said: "He couldn't cope with it. He said he was there 20 minutes but he took out a man that was asking for his wife and his wife was inside, dead. A boy was looking for his girlfriend and she was inside the train, dead. "He was taking out people that had mobile phones in their pockets ringing all the time. He couldn't cope with it because policemen and doctors and everyone was crying and he had to leave. "I saw a woman who had lost one foot. But instead of crying or shouting or whatever because of the pain, she was looking very, very serious. They were carrying her away and she had her sight, her eyes, were looking to one point - she was in shock." Alberto Nunez Feijoo, president of the region of Galicia, described the scene as "Dante-esque". One of the passengers, Sergio Prego, said: "The train travelled very fast and derailed and turned over on the bend in the track. It's a disaster. I've been very lucky because I'm one of the few to be able to walk out." Keith Barrow, associate editor of International Railway Journal, whose editorial offices are in Falmouth in Cornwall, said today: "Spanish railways' safety record is pretty good. "Major accidents have been extremely rare. A lot of money has been poured into the system and passenger numbers were rising before the 2008 recession, which has hit Spain particularly badly. "There has been a big reduction in fares lately to try to get more passengers to use the railways. A number of lines have been electrified and there are plans to allow private companies to operate services." Mr Barrow said the train involved in the Santiago accident was a Class 730 high-speed. "spain train crash kills 12" "spanish train crash" "spain train accident video" "spanish news spain" "train wreck in spanish" "spain train accident" "spanish river train wreck" "CCTV Spanish train" CCTV: Camera Accidente tren Santiago: Descarrilamiento del tren spain train crash cctv Spain Train Crash CCTV Warning Graphic Video Galicia Train Derailment "Tren santiago" "Tren santiago de Compostela" "spain train derailment"