44 PEOPLE INJURED AFTER PASSENGER TRAIN DERAILS IN NORMANDY

At least 44 people were injured, including one in critical condition, after a passenger train derailed in northern France on Friday evening. An 18-year-old woman was airlifted by helicopter to hospital in critical condition. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot stated that 180 passengers were on board the train at the time of the derailment. The crash occurred near the commune of Cléon, just south of Rouen in Normandy, shortly before 20:00 local time.

The train was operating a service between Rouen and Caen when the derailment took place. French media reported that three carriages overturned as a result of the incident. Local authorities activated a mass-casualty response plan and deployed 140 firefighters and other emergency teams to the scene. The cause of the derailment was not immediately established. The authorities advised the public to avoid the area.

France's state-owned railway operator SNCF reported significant disruptions to its routes in the area and said replacement buses would be provided to passengers. The incident occurred on a Friday evening in the Normandy region of northern France. One report indicated that 20 people were injured, differing from the official figure of at least 44 cited by local authorities.