Fatal train crash kills seven south of Paris

At least seven people have been killed after a packed French train derailed at high speed south of Paris. Dozens more passengers were injured. It is one of the worst rail disasters in France in recent years. The rush hour train came off the tracks in the town of Brétigny-sur-Orge, around 26 kilometres from the French capital. The train had just pulled out of Paris and was en route to Limoges in central France when the accident happened at around 5pm CET. Witnesses say the train split in two, one half continued on while the other rolled on its side and smashed into the station. The emergency services are on red alert. SNCF, the French rail company, say 385 passengers were on board when it crashed. Authorities warned the number of dead may well rise. President François Hollande is on the scene. Services from the gare d’Austerlitz in Paris have been cancelled. French rail routes are particularly busy as it is a holiday weekend ahead of Sunday’s Bastille Day. The cause of the crash is unknown. SNCF has launched an investigation.