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Passenger Train Derails Near Cléon, At Least 44 Injured

By Drooid · Sep 12, 2026, 2:18 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Tabarot Addresses Derailment

Transport minister Philippe Tabarot said a passenger train derailed near Cléon, injuring at least 44 people.
Police reported the train struck an unidentified object, prompting a prosecutor’s investigation.
140 firefighters responded and activated a mass-casualty plan.
Rail service on the Rouen-Caen line was halted and replacement buses were deployed.
An 18-year-old woman was critical while 43 others sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Summary

Tabarot Announces Derailment

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot announced the derailment on X and urged swift passenger assistance.
Prefect Jean-Benoît Albertini said the train hit an unidentified object and told people to avoid the area.
SNCF Réseau said an investigation is under way.
SNCF Réseau added replacement bus services will run until tracks are cleared.

History

Historical Context

The Cléon derailment echoes France’s history of rail accidents, such as the 1993 Port-Sainte-Foy level-crossing crash that killed 13 and the 1991 Melun night-train collision that killed 16, prompting the KVB automatic train-control system. Minister Philippe Tabarot and Prefect Jean-Benoît Albertini’s response mirrors past emergency measures, while SNCF Réseau now pushes sensor deployment nationwide.

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Tabarot Addresses Derailment

Transport minister Philippe Tabarot said a passenger train derailed near Cléon, injuring at least 44 people.
Police reported the train struck an unidentified object, prompting a prosecutor’s investigation.
140 firefighters responded and activated a mass-casualty plan.
Rail service on the Rouen-Caen line was halted and replacement buses were deployed.
An 18-year-old woman was critical while 43 others sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

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