Passenger train derails in France, leaving 44 injured, 1 critical

What the report says

A passenger train derailed in northwestern France on Friday evening, leaving 44 people injured, including one person in critical condition, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting from local authorities and French officials. The train was carrying 186 passengers and was traveling between Rouen and Caen in Normandy when it left the tracks at about 7:45pm local time.

Emergency services moved quickly to the scene. Authorities activated a mass-casualty response, dispatching 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 vehicles. The critically injured passenger, an 18-year-old woman, was flown by helicopter to Rouen University Hospital, while rail traffic on the line was suspended and power to the tracks was cut to support rescue work.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the derailment happened on a route in Normandy, and Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois said investigators were treating the incident as an active inquiry. Tests for alcohol and drugs on the train driver reportedly came back negative, but officials have not yet identified the cause.

The derailment matters because it disrupted a busy regional rail line and triggered a large-scale emergency response. One passenger described a sudden series of jolts before windows shattered and track debris entered the carriage, underscoring the force of the incident and the immediate danger faced by those on board.