UK Passenger Train With 150 Aboard Flips in East Sussex Derailment, 11 Injured
Emergency crews evacuated all passengers after three carriages overturned on a London-to-Eastbourne service, leaving two people severely hurt.
A Southern Rail passenger train carrying approximately 150 people derailed and partially overturned outside Lewes in East Sussex on August 13, injuring 11 passengers and triggering a major incident response across emergency services.
The train, travelling from London Victoria to Eastbourne, saw three of its carriages derail and flip onto their sides at around 3:44 p.m. local time. South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that two passengers sustained severe injuries and were transported to major trauma centres, while nine others suffered less serious injuries and were treated either on-site or at local hospitals.
British Transport Police declared a major incident following the crash. A large-scale emergency response comprising Sussex Police, local fire and rescue crews, ambulance teams, and three helicopters worked to treat passengers in adjacent fields and safely evacuated everyone from the train within approximately three hours.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Drummond-Smith said emergency services were actively supporting the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), which has launched an independent inquiry into the cause of the crash. UK Transport Minister Heidi Alexander also confirmed on social media that authorities were working alongside rail industry officials to support affected passengers.
John Whitehurst, chief executive of Southern operator Govia Thameslink Railway, called it a "very serious incident" on BBC Radio 4's Today programme and affirmed that the company is cooperating fully with investigators to determine why the train came off the tracks.
