Train derailment in northern France injures 44 people

A passenger train carrying 180 people derailed near Cléon in Normandy, France, on September 11, 2026, injuring at least 44 people, including an 18-year-old woman left in critical condition. The derailment occurred after the train struck an unidentified object on the tracks, causing multiple carriages to overturn. In response, 140 firefighters deployed to the scene, and local authorities activated a mass-casualty plan. Rail services between Rouen, Caen, and Le Havre remain suspended as police and SNCF investigate.

Normandy train derailment

• ▪The train derailment in Normandy, France, occurred on Friday, September 11, 2026, at approximately 7:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. local time
• ▪A passenger train carrying 180 passengers derailed between the cities of Rouen and Caen near the town of Cléon in Normandy, France, on Friday, September 11, 2026
• ▪During the Normandy train derailment on September 11, 2026, up to five carriages went off the rails, with reports indicating that between one and three carriages overturned

Unidentified object on track

• ▪The French national railway operator, SNCF, and French police launched investigations to identify the cause of the September 11, 2026, train derailment near Cléon
• ▪A spokesperson for the French police stated that the passenger train derailed near Cléon on September 11, 2026, after hitting an unidentified object on the track

Passenger injuries

• ▪An 18-year-old female passenger who was critically injured in the September 11, 2026, train derailment was airlifted by helicopter to Rouen University Hospital
• ▪At least 44 people were injured in the September 11, 2026, train derailment near Cléon, with 43 passengers sustaining minor injuries and one passenger suffering critical injuries
• ▪Passengers who sustained minor injuries during the September 11, 2026, train derailment near Cléon were taken to Cleon Town Hall

Emergency response deployment

• ▪The prefecture of Seine-Maritime activated a mass-casualty response plan and advised the public to avoid the area of the September 11, 2026, train derailment
• ▪Emergency responders cut the power supply to the railway line near Cléon to allow rescue teams to work safely at the derailment scene on September 11, 2026
• ▪Approximately 140 firefighters and other emergency response teams were deployed to the crash site near Cléon following the train derailment on September 11, 2026

Rail service disruption

• ▪The French railway operator, SNCF, established replacement bus services for passengers affected by the suspension of train lines between Rouen, Caen, and Le Havre
• ▪Train services between Rouen and Caen, as well as between Caen and Le Havre, were suspended following the derailment on September 11, 2026