Train derailment in Riedlingen results in multiple fatalities and injuries
In a tragic turn of events, a severe train disaster unfolded near Riedlingen, southeastern Baden-Württemberg, on Sunday evening. The incident, which occurred around 6:10 PM, has resulted in several fatalities and numerous injuries.
The train, a regional express operated by Deutsche Bahn, was traveling from Sigmaringen to Ulm when it derailed after a storm. Preliminary investigations suggest that a landslide triggered by torrential rain and drainage overflow may have caused the accident.
Three people lost their lives in the incident—the train driver, a trainee railway employee, and a passenger. Thirty-seven others were injured, some seriously. Rescue services are working tirelessly under challenging conditions, including in a rugged, forested area and with several overturned carriages.
The accident site is located in a deep cutting with steep embankments, and part of the train is lying on its side, with the roof of one carriage open. Eyewitnesses reported that several carriages were thrown off the tracks, and at least one was overturned.
The German Railway had approximately 100 passengers on board at the time of the accident. Numerous rescue services are on site to rescue and provide medical care to the injured. The Federal Police, initially with longer travel distances, is now present at the accident site with a large deployment. Support for rescue efforts is coming from neighboring Bavaria, with the Bavarian Red Cross sending units to assist.
Authorities and investigators are still probing the incident, focusing on why the tracks were not better protected or monitored against such a natural hazard, given the known geography and weather conditions. The control center in Reutlingen had triggered an internal alarm to coordinate the extensive rescue measures.
Thomas Strobl, the Interior Minister of Baden-Württemberg, is en route to the accident site. The latest information about the train disaster near Riedlingen, Germany, indicates that the regional train derailed due to a landslide triggered by a storm with torrential rain. Detailed official findings are still pending.
[1] [News Source 1] [2] [News Source 2]
- The general-news outlet [News Source 1] reported that the regional express train accident near Riedlingen, Germany, was caused by a landslide triggered by torrential rain and drainage overflow, with three fatalities and numerous injuries reported.
- Crime-and-justice updates [News Source 2] indicate that authorities are investigating the severe train disaster in Riedlingen, focusing on whether adequate precautions were taken against weather-related accidents, given the known geography of the area.
