A passenger train travelling between Rouen and Caen in Normandy, northern France, derailed on Friday evening after apparently hitting an unidentified object on the track, injuring at least 44 people. One carriage overturned and four others came off the rails, with an 18-year-old girl left in a critical condition and airlifted to hospital, while the remaining 43 injured passengers suffered minor injuries. The incident has prompted a police and rail operator investigation and highlights ongoing concerns about rail safety on French regional lines.

The train, which was carrying 180 passengers, came off the tracks near the town of Cléon at around 7.30pm local time, French transport minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed. Around 140 firefighters attended the scene, and one passenger described violent jerks, shattering windows and debris flying through the carriage as the train derailed. SNCF, the rail operator, suspended services on the Rouen–Caen and Caen–Le Havre lines, arranging replacement buses, and cut power to the line to allow emergency responders to work; the cause of the accident remains unknown.