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It was just after 1 pm yesterday when the emergency services number – 112 – received a call stating that there had been an accident on the Valencian Metro Service, close to the de Jesus Station on Line No 1 in the Patraix area of the City. Almost immediately the Emergency Action plan was put into action as the dead and wounded were evacuated from the stricken train.
The more than thirty injured were taken to various hospitals in the City, whilst over twenty forensic experts were called in to carry out the necessary autopsies on the dead. As the afternoon progressed, it was revealed that 41 people had died in the accident in which the lead carriage of the train left the tracks and doubled over with the second carriage falling on top of it. It is also believed that some structural damage was caused to the tunnel as the accident occurred.
As the day progressed, Francisco Camps, the President of the Valencian Community, and Rita Barbera, the Mayoress of Valencia, began a series of visits aimed at consoling those who had been injured, and offering their support to the relatives of those who died, as the city received messages of condolence from King Juan Carlos, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Mariano Rajoy, the President of the Partido Popular who later visited Valencia, along with the PP Spokesman in Parliament and former President of the Community Eduardo Zaplana – pictured below.
Currently twelve people are still in an extremely serious condition in the various hospitals of the City, whilst 35 others also remain in hospital as a result of their injuries. Mr. Camps has decreed three days of mourning for the victims that will start today, with a five minute silence in front of local institutions. Funeral services for the victims will take place early this evening with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia expected to be present. Equally an extensive enquiry is currently under way to determine the causes of the accident, as thus far it would appear that excessive speed which caused one of the wheels to come off the lead carriage were the main reasons for the tragedy.
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The much-heralded meeting between members of the Basque Socialist party and Eta/Batasuna that was set to take place today, has been cancelled at the request of the Socialists as a gestire for respevct for the victims of the acciodent in the Valencian Metro. The cancellation has been accepted by Eta/Batasuna, but no date has as yet been set for another meeting. However, Eta supporter Pernando Barrena, who is also one of the directors of Batasuna, stated that on the agenda were discussions on the future of the Basque Country as well as the annexation of Navarre and southern France
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It has been revealed that Culture minister Carmen Calvo has formally asked the Prime minister that she be replaced following some medical problems. She has recently undergone what has been termed as a ‘gynecological operation’ from which she has not yet recovered. Insiders believe that Mr. Zapatero was aware of Miss Calvo’s health problems and it is also believed that her replacement will be Carme Chacon, the current deputy President of the Socialists in parliament and one of the remaining members of the ‘hard core’ of supporters of Mr. Zapatero who were not offered a place in Government after the socialists came to power in March 2004
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In a speech in Navacerrada as part of the FAES foundation convention, former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar stated that in his view the Prime Minister is echoing the statements of Batasuna, ‘and as a result Eta has killed over 800 people whose memories now count for nothing’. He went on: “What did the Prime Minister say last week? That he would accept a political negotiation that would result in a decision over the Basque Country and Spain as a whole. And who ultimately is going to win? The terrorists.”
The west has given Iran until July 12 to stop its Uranium enrichment programme, or efforts will be reactivated to punish the country through a series of sanctions. Tomorrow, Javier Solana, the senior diplomat in the European Union will have a meeting with Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani to try and persuade him to commit Iran to suspend the enrichment programme and open negotiations.
It has been revealed that RJJ Public Relations, the agency created by the Countess of Wessex – the former Sophie Rhys-Jones – in 1997 is on the point of being dragged into court on bankruptcy charges, over unpaid bills totaling 45,000 Euros. The Countess if the first member of the British Royal Family ever to be brought before the courts over debts. Insiders have stated that the downhill slide for RJJ began in 2001 when the wife of Prince Edward was caught on tape talking to an alleged Arabic sheikh, and voicing her disparaging opinions on Cherie Blair, the wife of the British Prime Minister.
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