A passenger train derailed in Normandy, France: At least 44 people were injured

Forty-four people were injured on Friday in Normandy after a regional TER train carrying nearly 200 passengers derailed near the town of Cléon, in the Seine-Maritime department. The accident occurred at around 7:45 p.m. on the Rouen-Caen route.

An 18-year-old woman, seriously injured and in critical condition, was airlifted to Rouen, said Marie-Valérie Albert, deputy prosecutor at the Rouen Judicial Court. The other 142 passengers were evacuated.

The train derailed between Tourville and Elbeuf-Saint-Aubin after reportedly hitting an unidentified object, according to a police source. The exact circumstances of the accident are under investigation, and tests carried out on the driver to detect alcohol and drugs were negative.

One hundred and forty firefighters were deployed at the scene of the accident. The authorities activated the Orsec plan for mass casualties, intended to coordinate the response and rescue operations. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said that emergency teams are continuing their checks.