Passenger Train Derails in France, Leaving at Least 44 Injured


Police seal the area after a passenger train derailed in northern France
Police sealed the crash area near Cléon after the derailment. AFP via Getty Image


At least 44 people have been injured, including one seriously, after a passenger train derailed in northern France, local officials said.


An 18‑year‑old woman was airlifted in critical condition by helicopter to a hospital.


Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said 180 passengers were on board the train operating between Rouen and Caen in Normandy.


The minister added that 140 firefighters and other emergency teams were deployed at the scene near Cléon, just south of Rouen.


The cause of the derailment was not immediately known. Local authorities activated a mass‑casualty response plan shortly before 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT).


Photographs later showed passengers leaving the crashed train, with French media reporting that three carriages overturned.


France's state‑owned railway operator SNCF reported “significant disruptions” on its routes in the area and said replacement buses would be provided.


The authorities advised the public to avoid the area.