Train Derailment In France Due To Excessive Speed Kills 5

According to reports, there is no sign of criminal activity or acts of terrorism linked to this tragic derailment.

The Country of France has been through unspeakable tragedies in the past 24 hours and this latest tragedy certainly isn’t helping the country heal. According to NPR on their news piece earlier today (Nov. 14, 2015) it looks like one of France’s TGV Highspeed trains was making a test run “close to the German border” when multiple TGV cars derailed off the tracks in the process. Initial reports peg that although this was a test run, there were 40 passengers on board. Five have been confirmed deceased with many injured being airlifted to local hospitals.

According to RT,

"The accident happened on a new high-speed line between Paris and Strasbourg, which hadn’t been used before.The train derailed while on a bridge and the cars fell into the Marne-Rhine canal, according to witness reports. Photos from the scene show smoke coming from the carriages."

This may be the first case in the train’s history where fatalities were linked to the functionality of the train. High-speed rail is one of the safest ways to travel and the safety figures linked to the TGV have been exceptional ever since the train entered service in 1981. The only fatalities linked to the TGV were either level crossings accidents ( two in 1988 and one each in 2000 and 2007) or terrorist attacks (five in 1983.)

Next: Gunfire, explosions outside Stade de France, multiple people reported dead

While speeds in excess of 200 MPH means normal operation for the train and excessive speed is what authorities are pegging this accident to, there are no reports on just how fast the train was going. In 2007, a TGV test train did hit a speed of 357 MPH but that was solely to test the capabilities of the train with setting a record in mind.