A Spanish court says "black box" data recorders show that a train conductor was on the phone and travelling at 153 km/h, almost twice the speed limit, when the vehicle derailed, killing 79 people.


Investigators say the train had been going as fast as 192 km/h shortly before the derailment and that the conductor activated the brakes "seconds before the crash."



In a statement, the court said Tuesday that the conductor was talking on the phone to an official of national rail company Renfe when the crash happened and apparently was consulting a paper document at the time.


The conductor, Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, has been provisionally charged with multiple counts of negligent homicide.


More to come