At least three people have been killed and dozens more injured after a regional express train derailed in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg on Sunday evening, police said, according to local tabloid Bild.
The train, which was carrying around 100 passengers, came off the rails in a wooded area about 50 kilometres west of the city of Ulm. Images published by German media showed several carriages lying in a ravine near the tracks, with at least two overturned.
Regional Interior Minister Thomas Strobl told journalists that “dozens” of people had been injured in the crash and confirmed that everyone inside the train had been evacuated. He said some people might still be trapped beneath rubble and the derailed carriages.
Local media, citing emergency services, reported that 34 people were injured, with three in critical condition. Authorities did not immediately confirm the figures.
The derailed train was heading towards Ulm when the incident occurred. A large number of rescue teams and at least six helicopters were deployed to the scene to assist with the operation.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was “dismayed” by the incident and extended his condolences to the victims’ loved ones, but did not give any casualty numbers.
The cause of the derailment remains unclear, though severe storms and heavy rains were reported in the area shortly before the accident, Bild said.
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