Four dead this morning, Friday the 9th, in a train accident in the northwest of Spain in Galicia, amongst them an American tourist.

The train, which was carrying 65 passengers, derailed at the entrance to Porriño station (Pontevedra), just 200 metres from the beginning of the platform.

Forty-six passengers were injured, seven of them severely, and two of the dead are Renfe employees; the Portuguese train driver and the Spanish ticket inspector. The train operates between Oporto in Portugal and Vigo in Spain, hence the mixed train crew.

The police are inspecting the train’s black box to find out the possible cause of the accident.

The train, a series 592, underwent a thorough service in May and the driver had ample work experience. However, the engine is 38 years old, dating back to the 70’s. Mayors in the area have complained more than once about the state of the rails and the age of the engines.

Three of the four killed died at the scene of the accident: the 45-year-old driver, the 55-year-old ticket inspector, and an American tourist (no data released). The fourth victim, who died later in hospital, was a 23-year-old who was training to be a train driver in the train-driver school in Santiago.

The train had left Vigo at 09.02 en route for Oporto but it came off the rails at 09.25h for reasons unknown. However, one theory is that it struck a road bridge (N-120) and ploughed into an electricity pylon at the side of the track

More information as it becomes known.

(News: Vigo, Galicia)