PARIS: At least 44 people were injured when a passenger train travelling through Normandy derailed on Friday evening, with French authorities investigating whether the crash may have been caused deliberately.
The train was carrying 186 passengers from Rouen to Caen when it went off the rails near Cléon, south of Rouen, at about 7:45 p.m. local time. One of those injured, an 18-year-old woman, was taken by helicopter to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition. The other 43 passengers were reported to have suffered less serious injuries.
Authorities quickly activated a mass-casualty emergency plan. About 130 firefighters, five medical teams and more than 80 emergency vehicles were sent to the scene. The rescue operation continued into the night as emergency workers helped passengers leave the damaged train, according to BBC News.
Three carriages overturned, according to French media reports. Some passengers described a sudden and frightening series of jolts before the train left the tracks.
“There were a few jolts at first. Then, after about three seconds, they became stronger and stronger,” passenger Louis told ICI Normandie radio. He said he could no longer remain in his seat, while broken windows and stones from the railway track entered the carriage.
“I was really shocked. I am still shaking,” he said.
The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear. French police said the train appeared to have struck an unidentified object. A piece of rail was later found on the track, and investigators are examining whether sabotage was involved. Police have not reached a final conclusion, while prosecutors have urged caution until the inquiry is complete.
The train driver tested negative for alcohol and drugs, according to Rouen prosecutor Sébastien Gallois.
Rail traffic on the route was suspended, and power to the tracks was cut to allow rescue teams to work safely. Services between Rouen and Caen, and between Caen and Le Havre, were disrupted, with replacement buses expected to operate.
The French railway network operator SNCF said its immediate priorities were caring for the injured and restoring safe conditions before trains could return to the line.
Investigators are now examining the track, the train and the object that may have caused the crash. Their findings will determine whether the derailment was an accident or a deliberate act.
