A piece of rail found on the track is central to the investigation, though prosecutors say its presence remains unexplained.
CLÉON, France — French authorities are investigating whether sabotage played a role in the derailment of a regional passenger train in Normandy that injured 44 people, including an 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to a hospital after initially suffering critical injuries.
The TER regional train was carrying 186 passengers from Rouen to Caen when it derailed near Cléon in the Seine-Maritime department at about 7:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Investigators found a piece of rail on the track that authorities believe could be connected to the derailment, but prosecutors have cautioned that they have not determined why it was there or whether it was placed deliberately.
Rouen public prosecutor Sébastien Gallois said Saturday that the leading hypothesis involves the presence of a piece of rail on one of the tracks that may have caused the derailment. He said investigators still must determine how the object came to be there. French police told The Associated Press that the piece of rail was probably linked to the crash, while authorities continued examining both accidental and deliberate explanations.
The derailment triggered a large emergency response involving about 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 vehicles. An 18-year-old passenger was taken by helicopter to Rouen University Hospital after being classified in critical condition. By Saturday, prosecutors said her life was no longer considered in danger, though she remained hospitalized. The other injured passengers had received treatment, with many already released or expected to leave hospitals.
Emergency crews also moved passengers who did not require medical treatment to a building made available by the mayor of Cléon. The derailment disrupted rail service in the region as authorities secured the scene and investigators began examining the train and tracks. Replacement buses were arranged for passengers affected by disruptions on the Rouen-Caen route.
The Rouen judicial police are leading the investigation. Authorities seized the train’s event recorder, commonly referred to as its black box, and called in a forensic expert to help determine what happened. Investigators also planned interviews and technical examinations of the scene. Gallois said police forensic work was continuing Saturday as officials sought to establish both the immediate cause of the derailment and the origin of the rail section found on the track.
Tests conducted on the train driver for alcohol and drugs were negative, prosecutors said. Earlier reports from authorities described the train as having struck an unidentified object, before investigators disclosed that a piece of rail had been discovered. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said authorities were actively examining the possibility of a malicious act in coordination with SNCF Réseau, which manages France’s rail infrastructure.
A passenger identified as Louis told French media that the journey suddenly became violent as the train began shaking. “I couldn’t stay in my seat anymore,” he said. He described damaged windows and track debris entering the carriage during the derailment. Authorities have not reported any deaths from the crash.
The investigation remains focused on how the piece of rail came to be on the line. Police sources have said possible sabotage is being actively investigated, but the prosecutor’s office has stopped short of declaring the derailment a deliberate attack. No suspect or motive has been publicly identified, and authorities have not announced any arrests in connection with the incident.
SNCF said it was cooperating with investigators as work continued around the damaged train. The train could not be fully removed from the site until investigators authorized that step, according to reports from the scene. Authorities continued technical examinations Saturday while working to restore normal rail operations and determine whether the object on the track was placed there intentionally.