Prosper Okoye
Five people have been injured after a regional train derailed in southern Switzerland, with police saying an avalanche may have crossed the tracks moments before the train passed.
The accident happened early on Monday near the village of Goppenstein, as the area was under its second-highest avalanche warning. Police said about 29 people were on board the train at the time.
“According to initial findings, an avalanche may have crossed the tracks shortly before the train passed,” a police statement said, adding that prosecutors had opened an investigation.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelFive passengers were hurt in the derailment, one of them seriously enough to be taken to hospital. The others were evacuated safely.
The train left the tracks as it was exiting the Lötschberg rail tunnel, a major route linking southern Switzerland with the rest of the country. Heavy snowfall was continuing in the area, which sits more than 1,200 metres above sea level.
Police warned journalists and members of the public to stay away from the scene because of the high risk of further avalanches.
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Switzerland’s national rail operator, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), said train services had been suspended between Goppenstein and Brig because of the avalanche risk.
The derailment comes days after an avalanche blocked the main road linking the Lötschental valley to Goppenstein, forcing a temporary closure. No one was hurt in that incident.
Elsewhere in the country, authorities ordered evacuations in parts of Orsières because of severe weather, strong winds and heavy rain.
Switzerland is known for its extensive and heavily used rail network, which is considered among the most reliable in Europe. However, extreme weather linked to climate patterns has increasingly disrupted transport in recent years.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
