One dead as train travelling 99mph collides with lorry in France

Just nowCachella SmithandGabriela BoccaccioAFP via Getty ImagesA 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 and it continued moving for several hundred metres before coming to a stop.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."My first thoughts go to his family, his loved ones and colleagues," he said."I also want to pay tribute to the two train staff members who were on board and who calmly stepped in and helped the passengers."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.The region's President Xavier Bertrand described the accident as a "terrible tragedy".The regional rail network, France" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="100989" data-entity-type="organization">TER Hauts-de-France, said direct services between Béthune and Lens had been suspended until Thursday – with trains taking an alternative route.Services on other lines in the area are gradually resuming but with significant delays.Rail union SUD-Rail has called for "total transparency" regarding the investigation into the incident.The collision comes less than a fortnight after a person died in the south-eastern Var region following a collision between a regional train and a truck.Collisions at level crossings in France are relatively rare - but much more common than in the UK. There were 89 incidents recorded in France in 2024, causing 20 deaths, compared to six in the UK, official figures show.More than 100 collisions were recorded each year in France in 2021, 2022 and 2023.