At least 44 people were injured in the derailment of a regional train in northwestern France. One woman was seriously injured, French authorities said. The incident occurred on the evening of September 11 in Normandy.
The TER train was traveling between Rouen and Cannes with about 180 passengers on board. The incident occurred in the area of the commune of Cleon, department of Saint-Maritime, between Tourville and Saint-Aubin-les-Elbeuf.
According to information from Tagesschau, which refers to French media, the train collided with an as yet unidentified object. One of the carriages overturned and four others derailed.
However, the exact cause of the accident has not yet been established and the investigation is ongoing. Therefore, it is not possible to say definitively at this time what object was hit or whether the collision was the only cause of the derailment.
A large-scale rescue operation was carried out at the scene. According to data cited by the French media, more than 130 firefighters, about 50 police officers and approximately 80 emergency vehicles were mobilized.
Initially, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabaro reported about 20 injuries and specified that the data was preliminary. The number of injured was later updated to at least 44.
Following the incident, rail traffic was suspended and power was cut off to allow rescue teams to work safely. French rail infrastructure company SNCF Réseau said the first priority was to help passengers, then restore traffic.
The prefecture of Saint-Maritime activated the ORSEC emergency plan for situations with a large number of casualties. Authorities urged citizens to avoid the area of the accident while rescue teams continue their work.
SNCF and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. As of the morning of September 12, no final conclusion had been officially announced on the cause of the derailment.