At least five dead and 'dozens injured' after train derails in southern Germany

A train crash in the Alps in southern Germany has left five people dead and dozens injured, authorities have said.

The train headed for Munich appears to have derailed shortly after noon in Burgrain, near the resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a region preparing to host the G7 summit in June, according to police.

Three carriages overturned at least partly, and people were pulled out of the windows to safety.

Prosecutors and police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, which remains unclear.

Police initially said four people had died, but have now updated the toll to five, with 44 injured in the derailment.

About 140 people were on the train at the time, including numerous students heading home from school.

After numerous failed attempts, on Saturday cranes succeeded in hoisting at least one carriage of the train which had rolled off the tracks.

The body of the fifth victim - a man - was then uncovered beneath the derailed train.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Bavaria’s governor, Markus Soeder, expressed shock and sorrow at the disaster.

“Everything is being done to help those who were injured, to whom we wish a speedy recovery,” Mr Scholz said.

Mr Soeder said that students on the train had been looking forward to the holidays. “Lots of respect and thanks to the rescue services for their swift help,” he tweeted.

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