At least 4 people died and several were injured when a train derailed in the province of Galicia in northern Spain on Friday, Sept. 9. The first of the train's three carriages went completely off the rails, while the other two derailed partially. The driver of the train is believed to be among those who have lost their lives in the incident.
Local authorities have rushed to the spot, and doctors and helicopters have been made available for treatment and transport, and rescue operations are currently under way. The identities of the victims are yet to be determined. Forty seven people were rushed to hospital with injuries.
Local reports say the death toll in the accident, which occurred at 9:30 a.m. local time at the O Porrino station in Galicia, could go up because many people have sustained serious injuries. Around 60 people are said to have been on board.
The train -- owned by Portuguese rail company Comboios de Portugal -- was on its way to Porto in Portugal when it derailed. Eyewitnesses told local news outlets that the train hit a tower or post next to the tracks after it began to derail just as it was arriving at the station.
The accident has led to local political parties stopping their respective political campaigns in the run-up to the parliamentary elections that are expected to be held soon.
Galicia, the province where Friday's accident took place, happens to be where one of Spain's worst train accidents in recent times took place. In July 2013, a train had derailed and hit a wall near Santiago de Compostela, resulting in the death of 79 people. The driver of the train was subsequently charged with recklessness.
