The investigation clarifies number of casualties in Castelldefels? train accident

12 people officially died when a high-speed train ran into a group of people crossing over the rail tracks. Due to the magnitude of the catastrophe and the state of the bodily remains, the thorough and resourceful identification has needed about 3 entire

CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

First published: June 28, 2010 10:11 PM

Barcelona (CNA).- The incertitude around the tragedy that happened in Castelldefels during Sant Joan’s eve are slowly being clarified. The number of deaths has finally been set thanks to the forensic analyses, which have certified that 12 people died by the impact of a high-speed train. The number of victims was not clear when what was thought to be the bodily remains of a 13th victim were found. The advanced forensic analyses have already identified 11 of the victims, whose identities have been officially communicated to their families. Only 1 victim needs further analyses for a 100% certitude on their identity.

The bodily remains whose identity still needs to be clarified may be of a Romanian woman living in Barcelona around 30 years old. However, some corroboration processes need to be undergone in order to have a complete certitude. Now, the tasks of the team of 20 forensic doctors working at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Catalonia are to rebuild the bodies of the victims in order to give them to the families. This task will take some days.

The people who survived the terrible accident are recovering positively in different hospitals in Barcelona Metropolitan Area. 1 of the wounded has left the hospital this morning. She is a 16 year-old girl. Among the other 9, 2 are in a bad condition but their state is not considered to be critical any more. Most of them have light injuries and their exit from the hospital is expected within the next days.

Besides, the victims have been honoured in several homages, while everyone coincides that the cause of the accident was the victims’ fatal recklessness. The Castelldefels Platja station, the place of the tragedy, has its platforms covered with flowers and candles. Sabadell, a city within the Barcelona metropolitan area and the hometown of one of the victims, congregated yesterday evening more than 200 people to remember 19-year-old Jesús David Parada Alvarez from Bolivia.

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