INTL Major incident declared as train derails in Scotland

[Melodi]

Three people dead after train derails in Scotland

Three people have died after a train derailed in Aberdeenshire in Scotland amid heavy rain and flooding, British Transport Police have said.

www.rte.ie

Major incident declared as train derails in Scotland
Updated / Wednesday, 12 Aug 2020 13:31

The derailment happened near Stonehaven (pic: BBC Scotland)

At least one person is feared to have died and serious injuries have been reported after a train derailed in Aberdeenshire in Scotland amid heavy rain and flooding.

Dozens of emergency service vehicles, including an air ambulance, went to the scene near Stonehaven where the ScotRail train crashed at about 9.40am.

Rail industry sources told the PA news agency the suspected cause of the incident is a landslip.

The train involved was the 6.38am Aberdeen to Stonehaven service, made up of a locomotive and four carriages.

It is understood the locomotive and three carriages derailed and slid down an embankment.

Unions called the crash a "tragedy" as a major incident was declared at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Speaking before First Minister's Questions, Nicola Sturgeon said although "details are still emerging", there are "early reports of serious injuries".

She said: "My immediate thoughts and the thoughts of those across the chamber are with all those involved."

The fire service, police and ambulance service went to the scene at about 9.40am.

Smoke could be seen billowing from the train on the track in the countryside, while several emergency service vehicles could be seen parked in a field.

Stonehaven is served by ScotRail trains heading north to Aberdeen and south to Edinburgh and Glasgow.




A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "A report was received of a train having derailed near Stonehaven at 9.40am on Wednesday, August 12.

"Emergency services are currently in attendance and the incident is ongoing."

ScotRail posted on Twitter: "We're assisting the emergency services with an incident near Stonehaven and will provide more information when available."


Rail regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is sending an inspector to the Stonehaven accident site.

A spokesman said: "We're aware of an incident involving a train derailment near Stonehaven.

"Emergency services are in attendance and an ORR inspector will be attending.

"We will work with Rail Accident Investigation Branch, British Transport Police and the emergency services to investigate the full circumstances of what has happened."

Video posted to social media by Network Rail Scotland earlier today showed a landslip on the track at Carmont, believed to be close to the scene of the crash.

It is unclear whether the landslip was directly related to the derailment.

Network Rail tweeted at 9.49am: "At Carmont, we've had reports of a landslip, which means services can't operate between Dundee & Aberdeen."

 

[Melodi]

Stonehaven crash: Three people dead after train derails in Aberdeenshire

ScotRail has confirmed the train's driver, conductor and a passenger died when the service came off the tracks on Wednesday.

news.sky.com

BREAKING
Stonehaven crash: At least one person reportedly dead after train derails in Aberdeenshire
By Greg Heffer, news reporter
Wednesday 12 August 2020 13:28, UK

Smoke billows from derailed train

• https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sha...dly dead after train derails in Aberdeenshire
  
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Why you can trust Sky News
The derailment of a passenger train in Aberdeenshire has seen a major incident declared following reports of at least one death and serious injuries.
Emergency services are responding to the "extremely serious" incident in Stonehaven after being called to the scene around 9.40am on Wednesday.
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Footage posted on social media showed smoke billowing above trees surrounding the railway line.

Image:Emergency services are at the scene of the derailment. Pic: Lewis McKay
A number of ambulances and a medical helicopter were pictured parked in a nearby field.
Rail industry sources told the PA news agency that the suspected cause of the incident was a landslip.

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The train involved was said to be the 6.38am Aberdeen to Stonehaven service, made up of a locomotive and four carriages and carrying 12 people - six passengers and six staff - on board.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said they had deployed six ambulances, special operations response teams, an air ambulance, and patient transport vehicles.
M

 

[Plain Jane]

Is there a background to the issue of ground slippage? Could it move even more as they are trying to rescue people. It's interesting that this is happening as Scottish independence is becoming a factor again.

 

[Melodi]

I gather it does have to do with the torrential rains, thunderstorms, flooding and hail that hit the UK over the last few days (including Scotland).

We were lucky in Ireland, we got the looming, scary skies; familiar to anyone who has lived in tornado land, but in the end, only got a small amount of rain.

I think some places on the East Coast (like Dublin) got some actual storms, but pretty much Ireland was the ragged edge of this huge system that came up from African and affected several parts of Northern and Southern Europe.

 

[Plain Jane]

3 dead, 6 in hospital after train derails in Scotland

LONDON (AP) — Three people were killed and six others injured Wednesday when a passenger train derailed in northeast Scotland after heavy rain and flooding hit the area...

apnews.com

Click to copy
3 dead, 6 in hospital after train derails in Scotland
By DANICA KIRKA and JILL LAWLESS2 hours ago



1 of 9
Emergency services attend the scene of a derailed train in Stonehaven, Scotland, Wednesday Aug. 12, 2020. Police and paramedics were responding Wednesday to a train derailment in northeast Scotland, where smoke could be seen rising from the site. Officials said there were reports of serious injuries. The hilly area was hit by storms and flash flooding overnight. (Ross Johnston/Newsline-media via AP)

LONDON (AP) — Three people were killed and six others injured Wednesday when a passenger train derailed in northeast Scotland after heavy rain and flooding hit the area.
The train driver was believed to be among the dead, British Transport Police said. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said that the train conductor was also believed killed. Formal identification has yet to take place. Six people were hospitalized, but their injuries are not considered serious.

Images from the scene show that several cars of the four-carriage train had left the tracks and one had tumbled down an embankment. Smoke was seen billowing from the wreck. Air ambulances and coast guard helicopters came and went as the rescue operation unfolded.


Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a police investigation aims to find out what caused the derailment and ensure “nothing like this happens again.”
“As I understand there was about a month’s worth of rainfall in a very short period which undoubtedly aggravated the problem there,” he added.

Torrential rain had caused flooding and travel disruptions in Scotland, and on Wednesday morning Network Rail Scotland tweeted warnings of a landslip affecting services in the area.
It was not clear how many people were on the train, an early morning ScotRail service from Aberdeen to Glasgow.

British Transport Police chief superintendent Eddie Wylie said the derailed train was not a busy service, “and from (closed circuit television) inquiries and witness statements we believe all passengers have been accounted for.”

“However, once the area has been made safe, then a full and thorough search will be conducted, which is likely to take some time,” he said.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the derailment as a “major″ incident and said she would be convening an emergency response meeting.

The transport police said officers were called at 9:43 a.m. (0843GMT) to the railway line near the coastal town of Stonehaven, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Edinburgh and south of Aberdeen.

Local lawmaker Andrew Bowie had been in Stonehaven surveying flood damage earlier Wednesday.

“The situation was really bad this morning. The River Carron, the main river which flows through it, had burst its banks, and the heavy rain had caused flooding in the center of Stonehaven and lots of the side streets leading off it,″ he said.

Bowie added that the water had receded and it was unclear if flooding was connected to the derailment.


“We obviously don’t know why the derailment took place, but obviously we have suffered terrible weather here,” he said.

Serious train accidents are rare in the U.K. The country’s last fatal derailment was in 2007.
Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of condolence, saying “it was with great sadness that I heard of the train derailment.” She added that the entire royal family joined her in sending thoughts and prayers to the families of those affected.

The head of Network Rail cut short a family vacation to return to the UK. The chief inspector of railways, Ian Prosser, said inspectors were at the site and assisting in the preliminary investigation.
Full Coverage: Scotland