A regional passenger train derailed in southern Germany on Sunday evening, resulting in the deaths of at least three people and leaving several others seriously injured, according to authorities.
The accident occurred near the town of Riedlingen, about 158 km west of Munich. Emergency responders rushed to the remote, forested crash site, where images showed train cars toppled on their sides as rescue teams worked atop the wreckage. Roughly 100 passengers were on board when at least two carriages left the tracks at around 6:10 pm local time (1610 GMT). The total number of injured individuals has not yet been confirmed.
Federal and local police are investigating the cause of the derailment. Authorities noted that storms had moved through the region shortly before the incident and are exploring whether weather conditions may have contributed to the crash.
Thomas Strobl, the interior minister of Baden-Württemberg, said that recent heavy rains in the area might have contributed to the train derailment, possibly triggering a landslide. He noted that while this could not be ruled out, the exact cause was still under investigation.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in a message shared on the social media platform X, expressed his sorrow over the incident. He stated that he was mourning the victims and offered his condolences to their families.
Germany’s national railway operator, Deutsche Bahn, announced that it was cooperating with investigators and also conveyed its sympathies to those affected by the tragedy.
Germany has faced several instances of severe flooding in recent years, most notably in July 2021, when intense rainfall and swollen rivers led to devastating floods across Western Europe. Germany was the hardest hit, suffering extensive loss of life and widespread destruction. More recently, the southern regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have also been impacted by heavy rains and localized flooding.
