In brief
A passenger train between Rouen and Caen derailed near Cléon on Friday evening, with 186 people aboard and dozens injured. Officials are looking into a possible malicious act after a fragment of rail was found on the tracks. Firefighters, police and medical teams rushed the disaster, airlifting a critically ill passenger. The driver tested negative for drugs and alcohol, but investigators remain unsettled about the cause.
On Friday evening, a passenger train travelling from Rouen to Caen suffered a dramatic derailment near the town of Cléon. Roughly 186 people were aboard, and emergency crews attended the scene within minutes to treat injuries and secure the track.
Work teams found a fragment of rail jammed in the track—a sign that something may have deliberately triggered the incident. Prosecutor Sébastien Gallois said that investigators would explore the possibility of sabotage, as the rail’s presence was, at present, “unknown.”
The driver’s personal substances were tested and came back negative for drugs and alcohol, leaving the cause unexplained until the investigation concludes. Authorities have yet to provide a full statement on the events.
Around 140 firefighters and emergency responders rushed to the site, uncovering the shrap‑like fragments that fell into the carriage. One rider, 18, was air‑lifted to a hospital in critical condition, with 44 people receiving medical attention.
Local testimony described sudden jolts that grew stronger over a few seconds, causing windows to crack and debris to invade the train. It was a shattering, frightening experience that still leaves many shaken.
