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Spain's investigation of 2013 Santiago rail crash "not independent": EU report

Xinhua, July 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) published a report critical of the Spanish investigation into the causes of the 2013 Santiago rail crash, Spanish media reported Friday.

El Pais newspaper highlighted the EU report, which was published on Thursday, says the accident "had not been investigated in an independent manner," and that a new investigation "should be opened using the correct requisites of independence."

Groups representing the families of the victims of the crash have long highlighted that the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) automatic security system on the train and tracks was not working at the time of the crash.

The rail crash killed 80 people and injured over 150 on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, northwest Spain on July 24, 2013.

Despite Spanish investigators originally looking into the responsibility of 27 former managers and technical staff at Spanish railway infrastructure company ADIF, they concluded that the train driver Francisco Garzon was the only person criminally responsible for the accident which saw a high-speed train come off the rails as it took a corner at close to 200 km/h.

Ana Miranda of the Galician regional political party BNG described the EU report as "damning," while Jesus Dominguez, president of the victims' association, told El Pais the "report makes it clear that the root causes have not been investigated," and demanded the resignation of acting Public Works Minister Ana Pastor. Enditem