Landslide Blamed for Deadly German Train Derailment; 3 Dead, Dozens Injured
A regional passenger train derailment in southern Germany on Sunday evening, July 27, 2025, has resulted in three fatalities and 41 injuries, some of them serious. Investigators now believe that a landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall and an overflowing sewage shaft, was the likely cause of the tragic incident.
The accident occurred in a forested area near the town of Riedlingen, approximately 158 kilometers (98 miles) west of Munich, in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg. The Deutsche Bahn train, carrying around 100 people, was traveling on a route between Sigmaringen and Ulm when at least two carriages came off the tracks around 6:10 PM local time.
Victims Identified:
Police confirmed on Monday that the three people killed were:
The train's 32-year-old driver
A 36-year-old apprentice (a railway employee)
A 70-year-old passenger
Initial reports had varied on the number of fatalities, but authorities later confirmed three. Of the 41 injured, around 25 are reported to be in serious condition.
Cause of the Derailment:
Investigations led by Ulm police and Ravensburg prosecutors indicate that intense downpours in the area caused a sewage shaft to overflow. The resulting water surge is believed to have triggered a landslide from an embankment directly adjacent to the tracks. The train then reportedly ran over this debris, leading to the derailment just a few meters later. Authorities have stated there is no evidence of any external interference that could have caused the derailment. The Federal Bureau of Railway Accident Investigation (BEU) has launched a formal inquiry into the incident.
Rescue Efforts and Response:
Emergency services, including firefighters, police, rescue crews with dogs, and even the army, responded swiftly to the scene. Helicopters were utilized to transport the seriously injured to nearby hospitals. Photos from the site show parts of the train lying on its side, with rescuers climbing on top of the carriages to aid passengers. Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz expressed his condolences to the victims' families and pledged full support for the investigation into the cause. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also conveyed his sympathies to those affected.
Context of German Rail Infrastructure:
While the immediate cause points to natural factors exacerbated by infrastructure (sewage overflow triggering a landslide), Germany's railway system has faced criticism in recent years regarding underinvestment in its infrastructure. This incident adds to a series of past train accidents in Germany, though none of a comparable scale to the deadly Eschede high-speed train crash in 1998, which killed 101 people. In June 2022, another train derailed near a Bavarian Alpine resort, killing four people.
The clean-up operation at the site is expected to be extensive, with plans to bring in heavy cranes to remove the derailed carriages.
I'm Aisha shehu
Talksocialtalka News
