Three killed and others seriously injured after train crash in southwestern Germany

Several people were killed when a passenger train derailed in southwestern Germany near the town of Biberach, close to the border with France, German media reported on Sunday, citing security sources.

Police in Stuttgart, who were cited by media in initial reports of the crash, were not immediately available for comment. A picture published in German media showed carriages had left the tracks and rolled over.

Federal police told dpa that the severity of the injuries was not immediately clear.

Roughly 100 people were aboard the train when at least two carriages derailed in a forested area around 6:10 p.m. local time (1600 GMT), dpa reported.

The crash happened near the town of Riedlingen, dpa reported, roughly 158 kilometers (98 miles) west of Munich. Reports say there had been a storm in the area shortly before.

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-Württemberg .

German chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was monitoring the situation. He wrote on X: “The train accident in the Biberach district shocks me. I am in close contact with the Interior Minister and the Transport Minister and have asked them to support the rescue forces with all available means. We mourn the victims. I express my condolences to their relatives.”