Landes: One Young Woman Killed, Another Seriously Injured After Being Hit by a Train at Level Crossing

A tragic rail accident occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, May 29, in Bénesse-Maremne, in the Landes region of southwestern France. Two young women, walking near the tracks, were struck by a regional train (TER) at a level crossing on Route d’Orx, near an industrial area.

One of the women died at the scene, while the second was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Emergency services were alerted shortly after 3 p.m. and responded quickly, with around 20 firefighters, paramedics, and 25 gendarmes deployed. The accident site was closed off to the public.

The regional train, operating between Bordeaux and Hendaye, was carrying around twenty passengers, all of whom were unharmed. Rail traffic between Dax and Bayonne was suspended in both directions for over two hours and gradually resumed at reduced speed around 5:30 p.m.

The exact circumstances of the collision are still under investigation. The local prosecutor’s office has opened an inquiry, and for now, no hypothesis has been ruled out. The Landes prefecture commended the swift response of emergency services, law enforcement, and SNCF staff.