A horrifying train derailment outside Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain has claimed the lives of 78 people and injured 178; the moment of impact was caught on CCTV.

**UPDATE** RT is reporting that the driver of the high-speed Spanish train, which crashed killing 79 people last week, was talking on the phone when the accident occurred, the investigators said after opening the “black box” recorders.

The black boxes, which were opened Tuesday contain data on the train's speed as well as communications to and from the train driver.

Driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo has been provisionally charged with multiple counts of negligent homicide. **UPDATE**

Sky News reports The crash happened as the train carrying 218 passengers plus crew approached Santiago de Compostela, a popular pilgrimage city in the northwestern region of Galicia.

The crash happened the day before the city's main festival paying tribute to St James, one of Jesus' 12 disciples. His shrine is the destination of the El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, which has been followed by Christians since the Middle Ages.

Several of the 13 carriages rolled over, with one carriage torn open and flames and smoke seen rising from the scene.

It has been described as an accident, but it will stir memories of the 2004 Madrid train bombing, which killed nearly 200 people.



One passenger, Ricardo Montesco, told Cadena Ser radio station: "It was going so quickly ... It seems that on a curve the train started to twist and the wagons piled up one on top of the other.

A witness told the station they heard an explosion before seeing the derailed train. Another witness told the Radio Galega station: "There are many people dead here, my God."