A devastating train accident occurred in southwestern Germany, resulting in the deaths of at least three people and injuring dozens more. The derailment happened on Sunday evening near the town of Riedlingen in the Baden-Wurttemberg state. According to officials, the train was carrying around 100 passengers when two carriages left the tracks.
Charlotte Ziller, the district fire chief, confirmed that the three victims included the train driver and an employee of Germany’s state-owned rail operator, Deutsche Bahn. She added that 50 people were injured in the crash, with 25 of them in serious condition. “There have been heavy rains here, so it cannot be ruled out that the heavy rain and a related landslide accident may have been the cause,” said Thomas Strobl, Interior Minister of Baden-Wurttemberg. However, the exact cause of the derailment remains under investigation.
The train was traveling from Sigmaringen to Ulm when it derailed in a forested area. Emergency services and firefighters worked tirelessly to rescue passengers, and helicopters were deployed to transport the injured to nearby hospitals. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and thanked the emergency services for their prompt response. “The train accident in the Biberach district shocks me. I am in close contact with the Interior Minister and the Transport Minister and have asked them to support the rescue forces with all available means,” he said.
Deutsche Bahn’s CEO, Richard Lutz, visited the accident site and expressed his sympathy for the victims and their families. “My heartfelt sympathy and condolences go out to the relatives of the deceased. I wish the injured a quick and full recovery,” he added. The rail operator has set up a special hotline for those affected and their relatives, and emergency chaplains and psychologists are available for support.
This incident highlights concerns over Germany’s rail safety and infrastructure. The government has pledged to invest heavily in modernizing the rail network to prevent such accidents in the future. As investigations continue, authorities are working to determine the exact cause of the derailment and identify measures to prevent similar incidents.