Disasters & Incidents
France train derailment injures 44; sabotage suspected
French investigators suspect sabotage may have caused a train derailment in northwestern France that injured 44 people, prosecutors said Saturday, after a large section of rail was found on the track.
The train was carrying 186 passengers between Rouen and Caen when it came off the rails at about 7:45 pm Friday near Renault's factory in Cleon. One carriage tipped onto its side and four others left the tracks.
Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois said the rail fragment was estimated to weigh between 250 and 300 kilograms. He said the reason for its presence was unknown and would have to be determined by the investigation, but a possible malicious act was being treated as the main line of inquiry.
Herve Morin, president of the Normandy region, said the most likely scenario at this stage was “not simply a malicious act, but one that can be described as criminal”. He said the rail section could not simply have ended up on the tracks, because another train had passed an hour earlier and no maintenance work had been carried out in the meantime.
Morin said the locomotive flipped over in the impact and that the maximum speed on that stretch of track was 120 kilometres per hour. Drug and alcohol tests on the train driver came back negative.
Gallois said 44 people were injured, including an 18-year-old woman who was evacuated in critical condition. She was no longer in life-threatening condition on Saturday but remained in hospital.
Authorities activated a mass-casualty response plan, deploying 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 vehicles. Cleon mayor Melanie Delacour said the victims were in shock and that stones flew into carriages after windows shattered.
A passenger identified as Louis told ICI Normandie radio that the train jolted before the movement became stronger and that stones from the track entered the carriage.
SNCF said the accident caused major disruptions between Rouen and Caen and between Caen and Le Havre in both directions. An SNCF Reseau spokesperson said Saturday that services had resumed. The train will be lifted from the line only once the public prosecutor allows it, and SNCF said it would fully cooperate with the inquiry.
Update
The rail fragment found on the track was estimated to weigh between 250 and 300 kilograms.
Normandy region president Herve Morin said the most likely scenario was a malicious act that could be described as criminal.
Morin said the maximum speed on that stretch of track was 120 kilometres per hour.
Morin said a train had passed an hour earlier and no maintenance work had been carried out in the meantime.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 15:45:30 UTC.
Update
Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois said the 18-year-old woman evacuated in critical condition was no longer in life-threatening condition on Saturday but remained hospitalised.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 12:41:51 UTC.
Update
The derailment happened close to Renault's factory in Cleon.
A police source said a fragment of rail was found on the track.
SNCF said the accident caused major disruptions between Rouen and Caen and between Caen and Le Havre in both directions.
An SNCF Reseau spokesperson said services had resumed on Saturday morning.
SNCF Voyageurs said replacement buses were set up on the Rouen-Caen line.
SNCF said the train would only be lifted from the line once the public prosecutor allowed it.
SNCF said it would fully cooperate with the inquiry.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 09:13:37 UTC.
Update
A police source told AFP that a fragment of rail was found on the track.
The police source said the possibility of a malicious act is being treated as the main line of inquiry.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 08:03:31 UTC.
Update
A police source said French police suspect the derailment was sabotage.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 September 2026 at 07:46:57 UTC.
Update
The train was carrying 186 passengers.
Local authorities said 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 vehicles were deployed.
A passenger described jolts, shattered windows and stones entering the carriage.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 22:15:38 UTC.
Update
Officials said 44 people were injured, including one woman evacuated in critical condition.
Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois said tests on the train driver came back negative.
The train was carrying nearly 200 passengers.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 20:58:08 UTC.
Update
Local authorities said the train derailed around 7:45 pm.
A mass-casualty response plan was activated.
SNCF Reseau said traffic on the line was suspended and power to the tracks was cut for emergency services.
Rail authorities and police are investigating the cause of the accident.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 19:55:22 UTC.
Update
The train was carrying 180 passengers.
The train was travelling between Rouen and Caen in Normandy.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot called the injury figure provisional.
The local prefect was at the scene to coordinate rescue operations.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 September 2026 at 19:40:06 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Investigators have not determined why the rail fragment was on the track.
The cause of the derailment remains under investigation.
Source
AFP news report published on .