Several agencies are investigating the derailment of trains in north-east Scotland that left 3 dead and six others injured Wednesday after heavy rain and flooding hit the area.
The fiscal service of Crown Office and Procurator will lead an investigation and will be assisted by the Railway Accident Investigation Branch and the Office of Rail and Road.
SCOTLAND TRAIN DERAILMENT KILLS AT LEAST 3: ‘THIS IS A TRAGIC INCIDENT’
In the absence of the investigation, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the most important thing is that police find out what caused the dismissal, “and that we all work with Network Rail, with everyone else responsible” to worry about “nothing like this happening again.”
Early Wednesday morning, smoke was seen shaking off the railway line at Stonehaven, about 100 miles northeast of Edinburgh, where the ScotRail service from Aberdeen to Glasgow had been discharged.
Derailed careers are seen at the scene of a train crash at Stonehaven in northeastern Scotland on 12 August 2020. (Photo by Michal Wachucik / AFP via Getty Images)
Heavy rain had caused flooding and disruption to travel in Scotland, and on Wednesday morning Network Rail Scotland tweeted warnings of a land report that provided services in the area.
However, the flooding in downtown Stonehaven and the side streets that led to it had subsided and it remains unclear if the flooding was linked to the derailment, said local alderman Andrew Bowie after investigating the flood damage.
“We apparently do not know why the dismissal took place, but we have obviously suffered terrible weather here,” he said.
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Pictures of the wreck show several cars from the four-train station had left the tracks and one had fallen down a garden
Dozens of ambulances, at least one air ambulance and fire engines were also driving to the scene as the incident unfolded.
Aid workers are seen at the scene of a train crash at Stonehaven in north-east Scotland on 12 August 2020. (Photo by Michal Wachucik / AFP via Getty Images)
British transport police said the driver of the train is thought to be one of the three dead. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union said the train conductor is also thought to have died, although formal identification has yet to take place.
AT LEAST ONE DEAD TO TRAIN DERAILS IN SCOTLAND
The six other injured are not being considered seriously, according to authorities.
British Transport Police Superintendent Eddie Wylie said the abducted train was not a busy service, “and from (closed television) investigations and witness statements we believe all passengers are responsible.”
Emergency services attend the scene of a derailed train in Stonehaven, Scotland, Wednesday 12 August 2020. (Ross Johnston / Newsline Media via AP)
“However, once the area is secured, a full and in-depth search will be carried out, which is likely to take some time,” he said.
During initial reports, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the dismissal as a “serious” incident.
The Chief Inspector of Railways, Ian Prosser, said inspectors were on site and assisted in the preliminary investigation.
Serious train crashes are rare in the UK The last fatal derailment was in 2007.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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