A train driver has died after his high-speed passenger train collided with a lorry at a level crossing in France while travelling at an estimated 160km/h (99mph).
The incident took place shortly before 07:00 (05:00 GMT) on Tuesday morning between Béthune and Lens in the northern Pas-de-Calais region.
Two people initially deemed to have sustained critical injuries following the crash were “doing well”, while 13 others sustained minor injuries, local authorities said.
The driver of the lorry, which was carrying military equipment at the time, is in police custody, but officials said it was too early to determine the cause. An investigation into potential aggravated manslaughter is under way.
The vehicle belonged to a commercial haulier and the driver was not a member of the military, officials said.
The train had been travelling from Dunkirk to Paris when the collision occurred. After hitting the lorry, it continued moving for several hundred metres before coming to a stop.
One person staying nearby told regional newspaper La Voix du Nord that they heard the train’s horn blaring for around eight to 10 seconds before the crash occurred.
Max, who is staying around 500m from the collision site, said the windows of the house rattled from the impact.
CEO of France’s state-owned rail operator, Jean Castex, confirmed the train driver had been a 56-year-old long-term employee of the company at a news conference on Tuesday.
Castex, also a former French prime minister, said there had not been any indication of any problem with the barriers at the level crossing, adding that a lower-speed train had passed through minutes earlier.
Credit: bbc.com
