WORLD RADIO NORMANDY CAEN
All of Normandy, in English
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44 injured after Normandy train derailed between Rouen and Caen, authorities suspect malfeasance
by
Saturday, 12 September 2026
At around 7:45 pm on Friday (11th September), a regional train on the Rouen-Caen line derailed near Cléon, between Tourville and Elbeuf-Saint-Aubin, in the Seine-Maritime département. Out of the 186 passengers on board, 44 were injured and one was transported to hospital with severe injuries.
186 passengers were on board the train when it derailed between Tourville and Elbeuf-Saint-Aubain | © Sebastien Pollock // World Radio Normandy Caen
It began with some aggressive shaking; a few moments later, the train left the tracks. Witnesses on board the train said the windows shattered in places and rocks flew around the carriage.
Out of the 44 injured passengers, an 18-year-old woman had to be taken to Rouen's hospital via helicopter; authorities described her condition as one of "absolute urgency". Cléon's communal performance venue was quickly opened as a safe space to care for shaken passengers.
A police enquiry was opened to look into the cause of the derailment
Drug and alcohol tests were conducted on the train's driver, who was found to be uninhibited. Authorities say they are looking into potential wrongdoing. The CGT (a French workers' union) claims that a metal bar had been left on the tracks. More recent information, communicated by Rouen's public prosecutor's office, says it might have been a "piece of rail". The reasons for its presence remain to be determined.
The train's black box was seized by authorities who will conduct further investigations into the incident. Rouen's deputy public prosecutor said that it "will take a long time."
Train traffic remains blocked on the line between Caen and Rouen as the SNCF waits for authorisation to remove the train from the line and begin repairs.
