One killed in train accident near The Hague, 30 injured

Published April 4, 2023
Emergency services work at the site of a derailed night train in Voorschoten on April 4, 2023.—Photo by Remko de Waal/ANP/ AFP
Emergency services work at the site of a derailed night train in Voorschoten on April 4, 2023.—Photo by Remko de Waal/ANP/ AFP

At least one person was killed and 30 injured, many seriously, when a passenger train carrying about 50 people derailed in the Netherlands early on Tuesday after hitting a construction crane, officials said.

Rescue teams were seen ferrying away the injured in pre-dawn darkness at the scene of the accident at Voorschoten, a village near The Hague.

The accident happened around 3:25am, emergency services said. Nineteen people were taken to hospital. Others were being treated on the spot, the emergency services said.

Emergency services work at the site of a derailed  train in Voorschoten, on April 4, 2023. —AFP
Emergency services work at the site of a derailed train in Voorschoten, on April 4, 2023. —AFP

Dutch Railways official Carola Belderbos said the train collided with the crane and the injured included the driver and two conductors.

The front carriage of the night train from Leiden city to The Hague ploughed into a field after the accident, ANP news agency said. The second carriage was on its side and a fire broke out in the rear carriage but was extinguished, it said.

Earlier reports said the passenger train had collided with a freight train. Dutch Railways spokesperson Erik Kroeze said a freight train carrying chalk was involved in the accident but could not give details.

Emergency services work at the site of a derailed night train in Voorschoten on April 4, 2023. —AFP
Emergency services work at the site of a derailed night train in Voorschoten on April 4, 2023. —AFP

Jeroen Wienen of Prorail, which maintains the rails, said several investigations had been initiated, including by the company itself, the police and the Dutch Safety Board, which looks into serious accidents.

“Fortunately enough this is a very, very unique accident, but it’s a horrible accident,” Wienen told Reuters at the site of the accident.

“We at Prorail are doing the investigation primarily to see what happened and how we can avoid this in the future.”

Dutch Railways said in a tweet that trains between Leiden and parts of The Hague were cancelled due to the accident.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the Netherlands’ royal family were among those who expressed their sympathy for the victims.

“My thoughts are with the relatives and with all the victims. I wish them all the best,” Rutte said in a tweet.

Opinion

Editorial

Hardening lines
Updated 22 May, 2026

Hardening lines

Iranian suspicions about Pakistan’s close ties with Washington and Gulf states persist, while Pakistan remains uneasy over Tehran’s growing engagement with India.
Unliveable city
22 May, 2026

Unliveable city

IN Karachi, when it comes to water, it is every man and woman for themselves. A persistent shortage in available...
Glof alert
22 May, 2026

Glof alert

FOR many communities in northern Pakistan, the sound of heavy rain now carries a different meaning. It is no longer...
External woes
Updated 21 May, 2026

External woes

Relying indefinitely on remittances to offset structural economic weaknesses is not sustainable.
Political activity
21 May, 2026

Political activity

THE opposition is astir. There is talk of widespread protests this Friday over a list of dissatisfactions with the...
Seizing hope
21 May, 2026

Seizing hope

ISRAEL’S tyranny knows no bounds. After intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail last week, disturbing...