A train derailment in southern Germany killed at least three people and injured others. The cause is under investigation, with weather possibly a factor.
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A regional passenger train derailed in southern Germany on Sunday, killing at least three people, authorities said. At least 34 people were injured, some seriously, according to initial reports.
Around 100 people were on board the train when at least two carriages derailed in a forested area in the evening between Riedlingen and Munderkingen, roughly 158 kilometres west of Munich. The train departed from Sigmaringen and was traveling to Ulm.
Photos from the scene showed parts of the train on its side as rescuers climbed atop the carriages.
Rescuers with dogs searched the train for any missing passengers who were potentially stuck under the derailed carriages, local media reported, adding that search efforts continued through the night. Cranes were expected to be brought in to lift up the carriges on Monday.
Federal and local police said the cause of the crash is still under investigation.
The region was hit by heavy storms earlier in the evening before the crash, and investigators are seeking to determine if the rain was a factor.
“There have been heavy rains here, so it cannot be ruled out that the heavy rain and a related landslide accident may have been the cause,” Interior Minister of the State of Baden Württenberg, Thomas Strobl, said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a post on social platform X that he mourned the victims and gave his condolences to their families.
Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s main national railway operator, said in a statement that it was cooperating with investigators. The company also offered its condolences.