French police suspect train derailment was sabotage

French police suspect that a train derailment near Renault's factory in Cleon, Normandy, was a result of sabotage, according to a police source quoted by AFP. The incident, which occurred on Friday evening around 7.45pm local time, injured 44 people, one of whom was taken to the hospital in a critical condition. The train, carrying 186 passengers, was en route between Rouen and Caen when the accident took place.

Authorities activated a mass-casualty response plan, deploying 130 firefighters, five medical teams, and 80 vehicles to the scene. An AFP photographer witnessed railway staff working around the train on Saturday morning. Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois confirmed that 44 people were injured, including an 18-year-old woman who was evacuated in critical condition.

The train driver tested negative for drugs and alcohol. One passenger, Louis, 24, described the derailment as "shocking," noting that the windows partially shattered and stones from the track entered the carriage. SNCF Reseau, the French rail network operator, suspended traffic on the line and cut power to the tracks to facilitate emergency services.

The accident caused major disruptions to rail traffic between Rouen, Caen, and Le Havre in both directions. A replacement bus service was set up for passengers, and the train will only be lifted from the tracks once the public prosecutor gives permission, as investigations into the cause of the derailment continue.