Work begins to find out what happened in fatal Aberdeenshire crash
Three people died and six were injured in the accident.
A burnt-out passenger carriage lies vertically down a grassy embankment in rural Aberdeenshire.
Above it, workers in high-viz jackets and hard hats are taking notes as they investigate what led this passenger train to derail.
Thundering rain battered it as it sat waiting to return to Aberdeen on Wednesday morning.
It began its return after two hours of waiting, then disaster struck.
The train derailed, with two carriages tumbling down the embankment and going up in flames, while another seemed to have been flipped upside down.
A massive multi-agency response was launched to get to the scene and rescue as many people as possible.
Nearby, a farmer’s field resembled a car park for ambulances.
It was later announced that three had died and six were injured.
Casualties could have been much higher, but numbers on board were likely limited due to coronavirus restrictions and Aberdeen’s lockdown.
Tangled metal, debris from the landslide and a battered wheel-set surround the carriages still on the tracks, which themselves now hold burnt-out seats and flaking paint.
On Thursday, police remained at the scene to close off the roads and allow official investigations to be carried out – a process likely to take weeks.
“Nobody should ever leave home to go to work and not return safely to their loved ones at the end of their shift.
“The railway truly is a family and my heart goes out to the relatives and friends of all those involved.
“Thankfully tragedies like these are rare.
“Our industry remains incredibly safe, the last fatal train crash took place in 2007.
“But it’s very important that we learn what lessons we can from each and every incident to make our railways safer.
“Our organisers and reps are working together to determine what we will ask our industry to consider as part of their investigation into this tragic incident.”
