Train Collides with Lorry in Northern France, Driver Killed
High-speed passenger train traveling 99mph hits lorry carrying military equipment between Béthune and Lens
- Train driver dies; two passengers initially critical are now stable
- Lorry driver in police custody; investigation into cause underway
- Train continued for several hundred metres post-collision; nearby homes shaken
A high-speed passenger train travelling at approximately 160 km/h (99 mph) collided with a lorry at a level crossing in northern France, resulting in the death of the train driver.
The crash occurred shortly before 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Tuesday between Béthune and Lens in the Pas-de-Calais region.
Local authorities reported that two passengers initially thought to have sustained critical injuries are now “doing well,” while 13 others suffered minor injuries.
The lorry, carrying military equipment, belonged to a commercial haulier, and its driver—who is not a member of the military—is in police custody. Officials have launched an investigation, including the possibility of aggravated manslaughter, though the cause of the crash remains unclear.
The train, en route from Dunkirk to Paris, continued for several hundred metres after striking the lorry before coming to a stop.
Witnesses described the scene as terrifying. One nearby resident told regional newspaper La Voix du Nord that the train’s horn sounded for eight to ten seconds before the collision, and another, Max, said the impact rattled the windows of his home located roughly 500 metres from the site.
