Train accident in northeast Scotland kills three, sends six to hospital

Three people were killed and six others injured Wednesday when a passenger train derailed in northeast Scotland after heavy rain and flooding hit the areaThe train driver was believed to be among the dead British Transport Police said The Rail Maritime and Transport union said that the train conductor was also believed killed Formal identification has yet to take place Six people were hospitalised but their injuries are not considered seriousImages from the scene show that several cars of the fourcarriage train had left the tracks and one had tumbled down an embankment Smoke was seen billowing from the wreckAir ambulances and coast guard helicopters came and went as the rescue operation unfolded Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a police investigation aims to find out what caused the derailment and ensure nothing like this happens againAs I understand there was about a months worth of rainfall in a very short period which undoubtedly aggravated the problem there he addedTorrential rain had caused flooding and travel disruptions in Scotland and on Wednesday morning Network Rail Scotland tweeted warnings of a landslip affecting services in the area It was not clear how many people were on the train an early morning ScotRail service from Aberdeen to GlasgowBritish Transport Police chief superintendent Eddie Wylie said the derailed train was not a busy service and from closed circuit television inquiries and witness statements we believe all passengers have been accounted forHowever once the area has been made safe then a full and thorough search will be conducted which is likely to take some time he saidScottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the derailment as a major incident and said she would be convening an emergency response meeting The transport police said officers were called at 943 am 0843GMT to the railway line near the coastal town of Stonehaven about 100 miles 160 kilometers northeast of Edinburgh and south of AberdeenLocal lawmaker Andrew Bowie had been in Stonehaven surveying flood damage earlier Wednesday The situation was really bad this morning The River Carron the main river which flows through it had burst its banks and the heavy rain had caused flooding in the center of Stonehaven and lots of the side streets leading off it he saidBowie added that the water had receded and it was unclear if flooding was connected to the derailmentWe obviously dont know why the derailment took place but obviously we have suffered terrible weather here he said Serious train accidents are rare in the UK The countrys last fatal derailment was in 2007Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of condolence saying it was with great sadness that I heard of the train derailment She added that the entire royal family joined her in sending thoughts and prayers to the families of those affectedThe head of Network Rail cut short a family vacation to return to the UK The chief inspector of railways Ian Prosser said inspectors were at the site and assisting in the preliminary investigationKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever