Passenger train derails in France leaving at least 44 injured

At least 44 people have been injured, including one seriously, after a passenger train derailed in northern France, local officials have said.

An 18-year-old woman was airlifted in critical condition by helicopter to hospital.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said 180 passengers were on board the train that was operating between Rouen and Caen in Normandy.

He added that 140 firefighters and other emergency teams were being deployed to the scene of the crash on Friday evening near the commune of Cléon, just south of Rouen.

The cause of the derailment was not immediately known.

The local authorities activated a mass-casualty response plan after the crash shortly before 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT).

Photographs later emerged showing passengers leaving the crashed train, with French media reporting that three carriages overturned.

France's state-owned railway operator SNCF reported "significant disruptions" on its routes in the area. It said replacement buses would be provided.

The authorities advised the public to avoid the area.