At least 44 people have been injured after a passenger train carrying around 180 people came off the rails in northern France, authorities have confirmed.
The train derailed near Cléon in Normandy at about 7.45pm on Friday, September 11, with one carriage tipping over and four carriages leaving the tracks, reports the Express.
Casualties and emergency response
Local reports have indicated that an 18-year-old woman is in a critical condition and 43 passengers are said to have sustained minor injuries. A major emergency response was launched following the incident, with French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot saying 140 firefighters had been dispatched to the scene.
The regional TER train had been travelling between Rouen and Caen when it derailed between Tourville and Elbeuf-Saint-Aubin, in the vicinity of the Cléon commune in Seine-Maritime. Mr Tabarot said: "At this time, the provisional report indicates about twenty injured. 140 firefighters are deployed on site to provide assistance to the injured and passengers."
"Along with the prefect, who is heading to the scene and coordinating the mobilization of emergency services, and the SNCF teams, we are closely following the situation."
Passenger numbers and operational response
The prefecture of Normandy and Seine-Maritime separately estimated that roughly 200 passengers had been on board, compared with the figure of 180 given by the transport minister. It stated: "A passenger train operating the Rouen-Caen route derailed this evening, Friday, September 11, around 7:45 pm, near the municipalities of Cléon and Tourville-la-Rivière. Approximately 200 passengers were on board."
The prefect of Seine-Maritime activated the departmental operational centre at 8pm, just 15 minutes after the derailment, and triggered the ORSEC NOVI emergency plan for incidents involving numerous victims.
The prefecture urged members of the public to keep away from the area, adding: "It is requested to avoid the area. Situation updates will be communicated regularly."
Investigation and service disruption
Questions are now being raised about what caused the train to leave the tracks. A police source told French broadcaster BFMTV that the regional train struck an unidentified object prior to the derailment. However, the cause of the crash has not yet been officially confirmed.
One woman quoted by local media described broken windows following the impact, with passengers reportedly sustaining injuries from shards of glass and objects on board the train.
Rail services have been brought to a complete standstill in both directions on the Rouen-Caen line in the wake of the derailment. Services on the Paris-Rouen-Le Havre and Rouen-Amiens routes have also faced severe disruption, according to local reports.
Emergency operations are continuing at the scene and the public prosecutor's office has now launched an investigation to establish the cause of the accident.
