Overview
- The Dunkirk–Paris TGV that struck a truck Tuesday at a level crossing near Béthune left the 56-year-old driver dead and at least 13 people injured.
- Officials said the truck was carrying military equipment and the driver was taken into custody as prosecutors opened an aggravated manslaughter investigation.
- Regional authorities estimated the train’s speed at about 160 km/h, and SNCF’s chief said the crossing barriers were working, with investigators still determining how the collision occurred.
- SNCF said 243 passengers were on board and evacuated, services between Béthune and Lens were halted with replacement buses, and the rail chief signaled the line could be shut for at least a week.
- Serious TGV crashes are rare in France, yet the country’s roughly 15,000 level crossings see recurring accidents, including 89 in 2024 with 20 fatal, a pattern likely to feed the probe’s safety focus.