The train was travelling between the Normandy cities of Rouen and Caen when it derailed at about 7:45 p.m. local time, according to Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.
Local authorities activated a mass-casualty response, deploying 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 emergency vehicles to the scene.
One of the passengers, 24-year-old Louis, described the moments leading up to the derailment as terrifying.
“Suddenly there were a few jolts, and then after about three seconds it got stronger and stronger,” he told ICI Normandie radio.
“I couldn’t stay in my seat any more. The windows partially shattered; the stones from the track came into the carriage. It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he added.
Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois said 44 people were injured in the accident, while an 18-year-old woman was evacuated in critical condition.
Gallois also said preliminary tests conducted on the train driver for drugs and alcohol returned negative results.
SNCF Réseau, which oversees France’s rail network, said train services along the affected line had been suspended, while power to the tracks was cut to allow emergency teams to safely operate.
“The priority is to care for the passengers and then to restore safe operating conditions,” the rail operator said.
Rail authorities and police have launched an investigation to determine what caused the derailment.
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