SWEPT AWAY
Site of horror derailment had been hit by mudsides in the past
THE fateful ScotRail service left Aberdeen with 12 people on board at 06.38 am yesterday.
Bound for Glasgow Queen Street, after a night of torrential downpours the train is understood to have come across flooding on the line in Aberdeenshire.
It had fewer passengers than the usual Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street service as a lockdown in the north-east meant many people were at home instead of commuting.
The driver is believed to have stopped to seek permission to reverse after hitting flooding south of Stonehaven – and backed up to a set of points before switching to a clear set of tracks and continuing towards Glasgow.
But at about 9.40am, the train – made up of two power cars and four carriages – derailed at Carmont, near Stonehaven, an area previously hit by mudslides.
An aerial view of the carnage showed one carriage had separated from the others and plunged down an embankment into a ravine, while other carriages remained piled up on the tracks.
A major incident was declared and about 30 emergency service vehicles – including air ambulance support – were called to the scene as smoke billowed into the air.
At 9.49am, Network Rail tweeted it had received “reports of a landslip” at Carmont, which meant services couldn’t operate between Aberdeen and Dundee.
From a cordon set up on a minor road about one mile from the crash site, surrounded by countryside, the air ambulance could be seen taking off and landing at regular intervals as paramedics tended to the injured.
Dozens of ambulances and fire crews waited on standby as a specialist digger was brought in to assist the rescue operation.
Police officers turned back hillwalkers and cyclists seeking to use the road as the emergency operation continued. The only civilians allowed through were locals residents.
British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed just after 4pm that three people had died at the scene.
A statement said: “Very sadly, despite the best efforts of paramedics, we can confirm that three people have been pronounced dead at the scene.
“While formal identification is yet to take place, the driver of the train is, very sadly, believed to have died. His family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers.
“Officers are continuing to work to inform the families of the other two people who sadly died.
“Six people have been taken to hospital to be treated for injuries, which thankfully are not believed to be serious.”
NHS Grampian declared the crash a “major incident” and
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was prepared for casualties. It also set up a centre for family and friends affected by the tragedy, at Midstocket Church in Aberdeen.
A spokesman for NHS Grampian said: “We have well-rehearsed protocols and procedures for dealing with such incidents and are working closely with emergency service partners.”
The Scottish Government also tweeted a phone number for anyone concerned about loved ones who may have been involved.
In a later statement, BTP said it believed that all passengers had been accounted for but a thorough search would continue after the area had been made safe.
It said an investigation is to be carried out – directed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal – into the accident’s cause.
BTP inspector Brian McAleese said: “This was a tragic incident and, first and foremost, our thoughts are with the friends and family of those who have very sadly died.
“I would like to reassure the public this was not a busy service. From CCTV inquiries and witness statements, we believe all passengers have been accounted for. However, once the area is made safe then a full and thorough search will be conducted.”
Fierce downpours battered the east coast of Scotland on Tuesday night, leaving cars submerged in many towns and cities, including nearby Aberdeen where some residents had to be rescued from their homes by boat.
Many train services were cancelled but others were still running, including some from Aberdeen.
A video shared by Network Rail showed severe flooding on the line. The stretch of line where the derailment occurred has had problems with mudslides in the past. In 2002, the Aberdeen to Dundee line was closed due to a landslide at Carmont during torrential rain and gales.
A Network Rail report from 2014 on remediation work included Carmont in a “list of sites which in recent years have been greatly affected by earthslips”.
ScotRail managing director Alex Hynes said the rail operator was working with the emergency services on site as well as the relevant authorities to establish the cause of the incident.
He added: “Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this tragic event, particularly the families of those who have lost their lives.”
Mick Lynch, assistant general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “The facts behind this incident will need to be established but at this stage we are focused on support and assistance. Our thoughts are with all those impacted.”
Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, which represents the rail industry, said: “While an investigation will follow, our focus is providing every support we can in the immediate response.”
RAIL bosses were warned about the resilience of the network to severe weather four weeks before the derailment.
A health and safety report by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said there were six times more floods on railways in 2019-20 than in the previous 12 months. It also noted a spike in landslips, showing “vulnerability” in the network.
The ORR found Network Rail’s plans to address climate change and extreme weather were “not keeping up with the frequency and severity of these events”.
Network Rail said: “We’ll continue to review the way the railway operates in extreme weather and build resilience into our plans.”