Rail accident in the Netherlands: One dead and 30 injured after a train derails

Television images showed people using makeshift bridges to cross a canal that runs alongside the rails to catch the train in the dark.

Many windows in the carriages were broken, but it was not clear if this happened during the accident or as passengers tried to escape.

Photos from the scene showed two of the bright yellow and blue cars lying perpendicular to the tracks over a small canal and partly in a field.

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The four-car train was carrying about 50 passengers at the time of the crash.

A freight train was also stopped on the track near the wreck of the passenger train between the cities of Leiden and The Hague.

The exact cause of the accident, which occurred around 3.25 a.m. local time in the town of Voorschoten, was not immediately clear.

Railway company NS said in a statement that a passenger train, a freight train and a construction crane were involved in a collision, but the company gave no further details.

“Like everyone else, I’m full of questions and we want to know exactly what happened,” said Nazi leader Wouter Koolmees.

“A thorough investigation must be carried out. At the moment, all attention is focused on the well-being of our travelers and colleagues.”