At least 44 people have been injured, including an 18-year-old woman who was seriously hurt, after a passenger train derailed in northern France, according to local officials.
The woman was airlifted by helicopter to hospital in critical condition following the crash near the commune of Cléon, just south of Rouen, on Friday evening.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said 180 passengers were travelling on the train, which was operating between Rouen and Caen in Normandy.
Around 140 firefighters and other emergency personnel were deployed to the scene following the derailment, which occurred shortly before 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT).
Local authorities activated a mass-casualty response plan as emergency teams worked at the scene. The cause of the derailment was not immediately known.
Photographs released after the incident showed passengers being evacuated from the train, while French media reported that three carriages had overturned.
France’s state-owned railway operator SNCF said the incident had caused “significant disruptions” to services in the area.
The operator said replacement buses would be provided for affected passengers, while authorities advised members of the public to avoid the area.
