A train driver was killed after a high-speed passenger train travelling at around 160 km/h (99 mph) collided with a lorry at a level crossing in northern France on Tuesday morning. The accident occurred between Béthune and Lens, leaving two people initially critically injured—though later reported to be recovering—and 13 others with minor injuries.

The train, which was en route from Dunkirk to Paris, continued for several hundred metres after the impact before coming to a halt. Authorities confirmed the lorry was carrying military equipment, and its driver has been taken into police custody as investigations begin into possible aggravated manslaughter. Officials stated it was too early to determine the exact cause of the crash.

Jean Castex, head of France’s state-owned railway, paid tribute to the 56-year-old driver and praised onboard staff for assisting passengers during the emergency. Regional officials described the incident as a “terrible tragedy,” while rail services between the affected areas remain disrupted. Though such accidents are relatively rare, France recorded dozens of level-crossing collisions in recent years, raising ongoing safety concerns.

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