France: One dead after high-speed train collides with lorry carrying military equipment

A tragic incident in France has claimed the life of a taxi driver after a high-speed passenger train collided with a lorry carrying military equipment at a level crossing.

Given the severity of the situation, a number of injuries have been reported following the incident, which took place on Tuesday morning between Bethune and Lens in the north-western Pas-de-Calais region. According to French reports, the two people were critically injured, while 11 others sustained minor injuries. In this connection, the region’s President Xaveier Bertand confirmed the death of the TGV driver and described the accident as a “terrible tragedy.”

Meanwhile, French Minister Phillpi Tabarot said he was heading to the scene along with the head of France's state-owned rail operator. Consequently, the regional rail network, TER Hauts-de-France, clarified that traffic between Bethune and Lens would be suspended until mid-morning, with services on certain lines resuming slowly as reported by the BBC.

The recent incident comes less than a fortnight after a similar tragedy in the south-eastern Var region, where a person died following a collision between a regional train and a truck. According to official figures, 89 incidents were recorded in France, resulting in multiple deaths, compared to only six in the UK. Furthermore, more than 100 collisions were recorded each year in France in 2021, 2022 and 2023.