An investigation has been launched into a train crash in Aberdeenshire that left three people dead.
The 6.38am Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street service crashed near Stonehaven on Wednesday morning.
The train driver, conductor and a passenger were among those killed and six others were taken to hospital after the train came off the tracks in an area hit by heavy flooding.
READ MORE: Three killed in derailment only weeks after risk warning
Officials have pledged to find out what caused a train to derail in Aberdeenshire, killing three people and injuring six others.Among the dead were the train’s driver, named locally as Brett McCullough, as well as the conductor and a passenger.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, The Queen, Prime Minister Boris Johnson have led tributes to those killed in the “tragic” incident.
Dozens of emergency service vehicles – including an air ambulance and British Transport Police (BTP) officers – were called to the scene at about 9.40am.
Addressing gathered media later on Wednesday, BTP chief inspector Brian McAleese said an investigation would be directed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
He added they “will also be working closely with them along with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and Office of Road and Rail to establish the full circumstances of how this train came to derail”.
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and the Scottish Government’s Michael Matheson will both visit the area on Thursday and meet members of the emergency services.
Ahead of the visit, Mr Shapps said: “I express my deepest condolences to the friends and families of those affected in the tragic incident near Stonehaven.
“My department is in close contact with all relevant parties, including our counterparts in the Scottish Government, to provide any support that is required.
READ MORE: Flooding brings disruption to parts of Scotland after thunderstorms
My thoughts are very much with those who lost their lives near Stonehaven today, their families, and, of course, those who have been injured in the derailment. pic.twitter.com/CcqeSexwjn
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 12, 2020
“I want to pay tribute to the emergency services and rail workers, who have responded so quickly in these distressing circumstances.
“The safety of passengers and staff is and has always been our upmost priority and we will ensure that lessons are learned from this tragic incident once the Rail Accident Investigation Branch has carried out its investigation.”
In another message of condolence, sent to the Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire, the Queen said: “It was with great sadness that I heard of the train derailment earlier today in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.
“The Duke of Edinburgh, and the entire royal family, join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of those who have died and those who have been injured.
“Our thanks go out to the emergency services for their response and dedication.”
Speaking to Sky News, Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said: “One of the reasons that this accident is so shocking is of course that this type of accident on our railways is thankfully so rare.
“But our thoughts are very much with those who’ve lost their lives, their families and of course those who’ve been injured in the derailment.
“I’ve talked to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about what has happened and clearly the most important thing now is that the British Transport Police, who are in charge of the investigation, find out exactly what happened, and that we all work together with Network Rail, with everybody else who’s responsible to make sure that nothing like this happens again.”
Writing on Twitter, Ms Sturgeon said: “My deepest condolences are with the loved ones of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident.
“I have just been updated by Network Rail and the emergency services on the ongoing operation.
“My thanks go to them, and my thoughts remain with everyone affected.”
She also tweeted the NHS Grampian helpline number, adding: “Anyone worried about friends or family involved in the Stonehaven rail incident can call 01224 319519 for advice and support.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel