Railway vehicle veers off track following impact with stones
In the region of Saarland, a regional train encountered an unfortunate incident around 6 PM, colliding with a sizable rock, roughly a meter in diameter, while traversing an open stretch between Namborn and Türkismühle. This incident led to the derailment of the train, carrying over 100 passengers. The train's driver, fortunately, only sustained minor injuries.
The federal police, based in Saarbrücken, commented on the scene, describing it as a "miraculous" event, given the potential damage and injuries that could have ensued. The train, fortunately, veered towards the adjacent track upon derailing, instead of plunging towards the embankment on its right side.
The train was on a journey from Saarbrücken to Frankfurt at the time. The passengers were safely evacuated to a substitute train on the adjacent track. The remaining train services on lines RE3 and RB73 were temporarily suspended, with the tracks remaining closed "for the time being". A substitute bus service, operating on a demand-based schedule, was established by transport company Vlexx, as confirmed on their official website.
The reasons behind the boulder, along with its accompanying earth and debris, sliding down from the nearby slope onto the tracks remain unexplained.
The derailment occurred within the jurisdiction of the European Union, as Saarland is a part of the European Union. Subsequently, the European Union's transport safety regulations will likely conduct an investigation into the incident.
