CLÉON, France: At least 44 people have been injured, one seriously, after a passenger train derailed near Cléon in northern France, prompting a mass-casualty response and the deployment of about 140 firefighters and other emergency workers.
The 18-year-old woman was airlifted to hospital by helicopter in critical condition, local authorities said.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said about 180 passengers were on board the train travelling between Rouen and Caen when it derailed shortly before 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT) on Friday.
🚨🇫🇷 A French train has DERAILED in Normandy.
44 people were injured…1 critically.
There were 180 passengers inside.
An unidentified object reportedly caused the accident.
An investigation is underway to confirm the cause of the derailment.
What was on those tracks?…
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 11, 2026
Photographs from the scene showed passengers being evacuated from the damaged train, while French media reported that three carriages had overturned.
Emergency Response
Local authorities activated a mass-casualty response plan following the crash and urged people to avoid the area while emergency crews worked at the scene.
The cause of the derailment was not immediately known.
France’s state-owned railway operator SNCF said the incident had caused “significant disruptions” to services in the area. Replacement buses were being arranged for affected passengers.
Investigators are expected to examine the train, track and other circumstances surrounding the derailment to determine what caused the crash.
