Spanish police begin extracting data from on crashed train "black boxes"

MADRID – An official says police investigators have begun taking data from the "black box" recorders of a train that crashed in Spain last week, killing 79 people.

The Spanish court spokeswoman said the boxes opened Tuesday contain data on the train's speed as well as communications to and from the train driver. She spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with court policy.

One goal is to find out what caused last week's accident, including whether a mechanical or technical failure, or speeding by the driver, were factors.

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

The investigation has focused on his failure to brake as the train sped into a high-risk curve just outside the northwestern pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela.