In a tragic incident, a regional passenger train derailed in southwestern Germany on Sunday, killing at least three people and seriously injuring several others, authorities said in a statement.
The incident took place between the towns of Riedlingen and Munderkingen, which is about 158 kilometers west of Munich. At the time of derailment, there were at least 100 people on board when two carriages left the track. Stuttgart city police said the train crash took place near the corner of Germany that borders France and Switzerland.
Parts of the derailed regional passenger train lie next to a section of track near Riedlingen, Germany. (AP)
However, the federal and local authorities said the cause of the deadly derailment of the train remains under investigation. Photos from the scene showed parts of the train on its side after the derailment as rescuers climbed on top of the carriages. At the time of the crash, the train was on a 90 kilometer route between Sigmaringen and Ulm with about 100 people on board.
Das Zugunglück im Kreis Biberach bestürzt mich. Mit dem Innenminister und dem Verkehrsminister stehe ich im engen Kontakt und habe sie gebeten, die Rettungskräfte mit allen Mitteln zu unterstützen.
Wir trauern um die Opfer. Ihren Angehörigen spreche ich mein Mitgefühl aus.
— Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) July 27, 2025
At about 6:10pm (local time) on Sunday, at least two carriages of the train derailed in the wooded area. It wasn’t immediately clear how many people were injured in the incident. Ahead of the crash, storms had passed through the area and investigators are trying to ascertain if rain was a factor for derailed carriages.
According to Thomas Strobl, Interior Minister of the state of Baden Württenberg, “There have been heavy rains here, so it cannot be ruled out that the heavy rain and a related landslide accident may have been the cause. However, this is currently the subject of ongoing investigations,” Associated Press reported.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mourned the deaths of the victims and sent condolences to their families. In a post on X, Merz said “The train accident in the Biberach district shocks me. I am in close contact with the Interior Minister and the Transport Minister and have asked them to support the rescue forces with all available means.”
