French police are investigating the possibility of sabotage following a train derailment that injured 44 people, including one critically, on Friday evening. The train, carrying 186 passengers, derailed between the cities of Rouen and Caen in northern France around 7:45 p.m. local time.
The incident occurred near a Renault factory in the town of Cleon in Normandy when the train struck a large section of rail on the track. Investigators found the rail fragment, weighing between 250 and 300 kilograms, at the scene. Authorities have activated a mass-casualty response plan, deploying 130 firefighters, five medical teams, and 80 vehicles.
"The reasons for its presence are unknown and will have to be determined by the investigation," said prosecutor Sebastien Gallois. Herve Morin, president of the Normandy region, stated, "The section of rail did not just end up on the tracks like that, given that a train had passed an hour earlier and no maintenance work had been carried out in the meantime."
One 18-year-old passenger was airlifted to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition, but was no longer critical as of Saturday, though she remained hospitalized. Other passengers were taken to Cleon Town Hall and were described as being in a state of shock. The force of the impact caused one carriage to overturn completely and four others to leave the tracks.
The train was traveling at a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour on that stretch of track. Alcohol and drug tests on the train driver were negative. Passengers described the experience as frightening, with windows shattering and stones from the track flying into carriages.
SNCF Reseau, the French rail network infrastructure manager, initially reported that traffic on the line was suspended and power to the tracks cut to allow for emergency services. Rail traffic between Rouen and Caen and between Caen and Le Havre experienced significant disruptions. Services have since resumed. The train will only be removed from the line after the public prosecutor authorizes it, as investigations continue.
SNCF has pledged full cooperation with the inquiry. The mayor of Cleon, Melanie Delacour, called the incident a "tragedy that could have turned into a disaster on a very large scale."