French investigators are probing a suspected act of sabotage following a train derailment in the northwest of the country that left at least 44 people injured. A police source told AFP on Saturday that a fragment of rail was discovered on the tracks, leading authorities to treat malicious interference as the main line of inquiry.
The incident occurred on Friday evening around 7:45 pm local time (17:45 GMT) while the train was traveling between the Normandy cities of Rouen and Caen. The carriage, carrying 186 passengers, derailed in Cleon, prompting a massive emergency response.
Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois confirmed that 44 individuals sustained injuries during the crash. Among them is an 18-year-old woman who was evacuated in critical condition. Gallois also stated that tests for alcohol and drugs administered to the train driver returned negative results.
In response to the mass-casualty event, authorities activated an emergency plan that deployed 130 firefighters, five medical teams, and 80 vehicles to the scene. SNCF Réseau, the operator responsible for the French rail network, confirmed that train traffic on the affected line has been suspended and power to the tracks has been cut to facilitate ongoing rescue and investigation efforts.
Forty-four injured is devastating. Do we know if the rail fragment was placed deliberately or if it could be faulty maintenance? The details matter.
Sabotage is a terrifying possibility. I hope the investigation moves quickly to find who did this and ensure our trains remain safe.