At least 3 killed and others injured in train derailment in southern Germany

BERLIN (AP) — A regional passenger train derailed in southern Germany on Sunday, killing at least three people and seriously injuring others, authorities said.

Federal and local police said the cause of the crash near Riedlingen, roughly 158 kilometers (98 miles) west of Munich, remains under investigation. Photos from the scene showed parts of the train on its side as rescuers climbed atop the carriages.

It was not immediately clear how many people were injured. Roughly 100 people were onboard the train when at least two carriages derailed in a forested area around 6:10 p.m. (1610 GMT).

Storms passed through the area before the crash and investigators were seeking to determine if the rain was a factor.

“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,” said Thomas Strobl, interior minister of the state of Baden Württenberg.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in a post on social platform X, said he mourned the victims and gave his condolences to their families.

Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s main national railway operator, said in a statement that it was cooperating with investigators. The company also offered its condolences.