Death toll rises to 41 in Spanish subway derailment

The death toll rose to 41 in the subway derailment in Spanish city of Valencia, officials said on Monday.

Another 47 more people injured, of whom 12 remain hospitalized, local media reported.

Rescue teams worked into the night to recover the dead from inside wrecked carriage, and at least 150 people were evacuated from the platform, reports said.

Forensic teams have began autopsy work on the victims and 10 of the dead have been identified, including the driver of the train, according to reports.

The accident took place on the No. 1 line of Valencia's subway system as the underground train was leaving Jesus station en route to Plaza de Espana station, authorities said.

The likely cause of the accident was that the train was traveling at high speeds and one of its wheels broke off on a curve, officials said, adding a tunnel wall had collapsed onto the carriage.

Valencia, 350 kilometers from Madrid, is one of Spain's biggest cities with a population of 800,000.

Source: Xinhua