The train derailed as it exited the “Stockgalerie” tunnel. An avalanche may have swept across the railway shortly before the train passed, the police said.
“According to initial findings, an avalanche may have crossed the tracks shortly before the train passed,” the police said in a statement, adding that prosecutors have opened an investigation into the exact circumstances of the incident, as per a report by BBC.Five injured, all passengers evacuated
At the time of the derailment, 29 people were on board the train. The Valais Police confirmed that five passengers were injured. One person was airlifted to hospital in Sion, while four others were treated at the scene and did not require hospitalisation.
Read more: Ajit Pawar plane crash: AAIB probe reveals both flight recorders sustained fire damage, says Aviation MinistryEmergency teams, including eight mountain rescuers, two ambulances and a helicopter, were deployed to evacuate passengers, as per a report by The Independent.
By midday, all travellers had been safely removed from the site. Replacement bus services were arranged between Goppenstein and Gampel to help passengers continue their journeys, the police said.
High avalanche risk across the Alps
The derailment comes amid heightened avalanche warnings across Switzerland. The region was under level four of five on the national avalanche risk scale.
The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research had earlier warned that fresh snowfall settling on a weak underlying layer increased the likelihood of avalanches, as per BBC.
Authorities have urged skiers and hikers to follow safety guidance and check avalanche bulletins, as heavy snow and severe weather continue to affect large parts of the Alps.
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