Train derails in France and injures 44 as authorities investigate possible sabotage

French authorities have launched an investigation into a train derailment in Normandy that left 44 people injured on Friday evening. The regional train was traveling from Rouen to Caen with 186 passengers on board when it went off the tracks at Cléon, located in the Seine-Maritime department of northwestern France. Among those hurt was an 18-year-old woman who required emergency evacuation via helicopter to Rouen University Hospital.

Police officials revealed on Saturday that investigators discovered a piece of rail lying across the tracks, which they believe is likely linked to the cause of the accident. While a spokesperson for the French national police communications service indicated that sabotage is being considered as a possibility, official investigators are still working to determine if the incident was a deliberate act or simply a tragic accident.

Despite these early findings, the local prosecutor’s office has urged caution and avoided drawing definitive conclusions until the forensic evidence can be fully analyzed. This event comes amid a history of rail tragedies in France, including deadly crashes in Brétigny-sur-Orge and Eckwersheim years ago, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding railway safety and infrastructure security across Europe.