3 killed as German train derails, likely due to landslide triggered by heavy rains
Berlin — Three people were killed and at least 41 others injured Sunday evening when a regional express train derailed in southern Germany. Authorities believe a landslide caused by torrential rain was likely the cause of the accident.
The train derailed in a forested area on a route between Sigmaringen and Ulm in southern Germany's Baden-Württemberg state. Around 100 passengers were on board when the train hit mud and debris that had spilled onto the tracks following a landslide.
Two carriages derailed and toppled down an embankment next to the tracks.
A preliminary investigation suggested a hole near the line had filled with water during intense rainfall, leading a slope adjacent to the track to collapse.
Weather experts said the region was inundated with up to 10 gallons of rainfall per square yard in the space of just a few hours on Sunday.
The victims of the derailment were identified as the train's 32-year-old driver, a 36-year-old railway trainee and a 70-year-old male passenger. Emergency services transported at least 41 people to nearby hospitals, some of them with serious injuries, according to emergency officials.
Authorities were examining data from the train's onboard data recorder to determine the exact sequence of events. Officials said there was no indication of foul play.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his condolences to the victims' families and promised full support for rescue and recovery efforts. Deutsche Bahn, the national rail operator, also issued a statement expressing shock and pledged full cooperation with investigators.
