16 hurt in German train crash

A train has crashed in northern Germany, injuring 16 people and causing several million euros in damage, police said today.

Officers said a regional train’s engine car and two passenger carriages derailed after hitting a cargo train near Hannover.

They say the collision late on Wednesday left the train’s conductor severely injured, and 15 passengers less seriously hurt.

The crash happened after the cargo train, carrying 49 cars of gravel, partly derailed for unknown reasons. The passenger train coming from the opposite direction hit the cargo train cars that had tipped on to its tracks.

Police say several train cars fell into the yards of people living next to the railway but caused no injuries.