French authorities are investigating the derailment of a regional passenger train in Normandy after the train reportedly struck a large section of rail lying across the tracks.
The TER train, traveling between Rouen and Caen with 186 passengers aboard, derailed near Cléon, south of Rouen, on Sept. 11. Dozens of passengers were injured, including one person who was initially reported to have suffered serious injuries.
Investigators found a section of rail approximately five meters long and weighing around 300 kilograms on the track. The train reportedly struck the object while traveling at about 140 km/h. The unusual circumstances initially prompted speculation that the derailment could have resulted from a deliberate act. However, authorities have cautioned against drawing that conclusion.
Rouen prosecutor Sébastien Gallois said investigators had found no evidence establishing that the rail had been deliberately placed on the track to cause a derailment or that the incident constituted an attack.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez subsequently said investigators were not excluding any possibility but were not favoring a particular explanation. Authorities are continuing to investigate how the heavy section of rail came to be on an active railway line and whether human involvement played any role in the incident.