Caen: The train, carrying 186 passengers, derailed at around 7:45 pm local time (17:45 GMT) while travelling between the Normandy cities, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said.
Emergency services launched a major rescue operation following the incident, with local authorities activating a mass-casualty response plan. Around 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 vehicles were deployed to the scene.
Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois said 44 people sustained injuries in the derailment. An 18-year-old woman was among the injured and was evacuated by helicopter to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition, according to the Seine-Maritime prefecture.
Un TER transportant 180 passagers et assurant la liaison Rouen-Caen a déraillé entre Tourville et Elbeuf-Saint-Aubin, au niveau de la commune de Cléon, en Seine-Maritime.
À cette heure, le bilan provisoire fait état d’environ vingt blessés.
140 pompiers sont engagés sur place…
— Philippe Tabarot (@PhilippeTabarot) September 11, 2026
Passengers described a sudden and violent sequence of jolts before the train left the tracks. Louis, a 24-year-old passenger, told that the shaking intensified within seconds, forcing him out of his seat. He said windows partially shattered and stones from the track entered the carriage.
Following the derailment, SNCF Réseau, which manages France’s rail infrastructure, suspended train services on the affected line and cut power to the tracks to facilitate emergency operations. “The priority is to care for the passengers and then to restore safe operating conditions,” the rail operator said.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine what caused the derailment. Prosecutor Gallois said initial drug and alcohol tests carried out on the train driver were negative. Rail authorities and police are continuing their investigation as emergency teams work to assess the damage and restore safe rail operations.
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