The accident occurred just before 8 p.m. on Friday evening, south of Rouen in northwestern France.
44 people were injured, one seriously, in the accident. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot writes on X that around 140 rescue workers and firefighters are at the scene to help the roughly 180 passengers who were on board the train.
According to the television channel BFMTV, the passenger train collided with something on the track before it derailed.
