Investigation Finds Heavy Rail Piece on Track After Normandy TER Derailment, Criminal Motive Suspected

On 11 September, a TER service between Rouen and Caen derailed near Cléon and Tourville-la-Rivière, injuring 44 passengers, three of whom remain hospitalized. The train driver told investigators that a short piece of rail, about 250-300 kg in weight, was positioned slightly across one of the running rails, prompting an emergency brake that averted a more severe outcome. Since the crash, investigators have retrieved dozens of fragments from the broken rail, sending them for forensic analysis to identify fingerprints, genetic material and technical signatures.

The judicial probe focuses on the cause of the derailment and the serious injuries, while a parallel technical investigation by the BEA-TT, ordered by Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, will examine safety recommendations. Regional President Hervé Morin and other officials have emphasized that the evidence points toward a deliberate, criminal act rather than routine maintenance or accident. The ORSEC NoVi emergency plan was activated, and a crisis cell is managing the response.