The derailment occurred shortly before 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT) on a line linking the Normandy cities of Rouen and Caen. The train was carrying 186 passengers when a piece of rail was discovered on the track near Cléon, just south of Rouen, prompting the sudden loss of control and the subsequent crash.
Forty‑four passengers required medical treatment, including an 18‑year‑old woman who was airlifted to hospital in critical condition but whose life is now reported to be no longer in danger. Emergency services deployed roughly 140 firefighters and other responders to the scene, and most of the injured have since been discharged or are awaiting discharge.
Prosecutor Sébastien Gallois said the leading theory is that the rail fragment caused the derailment, but the reason for its presence remains unknown. The train’s black‑box recorder has been seized, a court‑appointed expert has been engaged and several interviews are scheduled as part of the investigation. The driver tested negative for drugs and alcohol.
Louis, a passenger on the train, told ICI Normandie radio that the carriage jolted violently, windows partially shattered and stones from the track entered the carriage, leaving him "shaking" after the incident
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Category: International
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