French Officials Probe 'Malicious Act' Behind Passenger Train Derailment

Sat Sep 12 2026 16:01:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Authorities are investigating if sabotage caused a Friday night passenger train derailment between Rouen and Caen, after a rail fragment was found on the tracks.

A passenger train travelling from Rouen to Caen derailed late Friday night in northern France, prompting officials to suspect sabotage. A fragment of rail was discovered on the track, raising questions about its origins. The train carried 186 passengers, with 44 injured; one passenger received critical treatment after being air‑lifted to a hospital. Police are examining evidence while emergency teams continue to support the affected passengers and secure the site.

French officials probe 'malicious act' behind passenger train derailment

A derailed passenger train carriage in Cléon, France — A derailed passenger train carriage in Cléon, northern France. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

Officials in northern France are investigating whether the derailment of a passenger train on Friday evening resulted from a malicious act.

French prosecutor Sébastien Gallois reported on Saturday that a fragment of rail had been found on the tracks, but the reasons for its presence remain unknown.

According to local media, 186 passengers were aboard the train traveling between Rouen and Caen in Normandy. Forty‑four of them were treated for injuries, including an eighteen‑year‑old woman who was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition.

Around 140 firefighters and other emergency teams were dispatched to the scene near Cléon – just south of Rouen – shortly before 20:00 (18:00 GMT). The event drew significant attention from local authorities and the public alike.

A passenger named Louis recalled the moment the train jolted, describing how windows shattered and debris entered the carriage. “I couldn’t stay in my seat anymore. The windows partially shattered, the stones from the track came into the carriage. It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he said to ICI Normandie radio.

The Rouen prosecutor’s office confirmed that the train driver tested negative for drugs and alcohol, ruling out operator impairment. Authorities are now focused on gathering forensic evidence from the tracks, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing security footage to determine whether sabotage played a role in this incident.