Spanish PM declares 3 days of mourning for train crash victims

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Thursday announced that Spain would observe three days of mourning for the victims of the train accident in the country's northwestern region of Galicia which has claimed at least 80 lives. Rajoy, who is from Galicia, visited the site of the accident on Thursday morning and the hospital in Santiago where at least 95 people are still receiving treatment, with 35 of these in critical condition. He announced support for the victims and their families. "They are not going to be left alone; the solidarity of the Spanish people will accompany them always," Rajoy said from the headquarters of the Galician regional parliament. "This terrible accident is going to remain in our minds for a long time," said Rajoy. The train derailment which occurred on Wednesday evening just outside the city of Santiago de Compostela was the second worst train tragedy in Spanish history. Rajoy gave his thanks to the emergency services and those who acted quickly to try and help the injured in the immediate aftermath of the accident, which appeared to have been caused as the train went into a curve at around 190 kilometers an hour, while the maximum speed limit for the road stretch is 80 kilometers an hour. "They showed admirable and exemplary behavior," he said, adding their behavior had "been a comfort." Earlier in the day, the President of the Galician Authority Alberto Nunez Feijoo had also praised those who had helped victims and rushed to donate blood in the region's hospitals. "The 24th of July, 2013, the day that the derailment of the train which took so many lives and the dreams of so many people, will also be remembered as the day in which so many Gallegos filled the health centers opened for people to donate blood. The day in which people without name went down to the tracks to try and help the injured and the day in which volunteers from different places came to Compostela to accompany and to attend and console the families of the victims," said Feijoo, who confirmed that the region will observe 7 days of mourning. A minute's silence was observed at midday in all of Spain's public administrations, as well in the Congress and Senate and the offices of the country's political parties, while King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain will travel to Santiago on Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile work was continuing at the hospital to identify the victims. By 15:00 Spanish TV had reported that 40 of the victims have been identified, teams of psychologists are also working in order to provide help to the injured and the families of those who have died. Finally the judge investigating the accident has called the driver of the train to give a declaration. The driver is currently receiving treatment for minor injuries in Santiago hospital, while the judge also has the black box from the cabin of the train in his possession.