Eight seriously injured in France train crash

Montpellier (France), Aug 17 (AFP) A train crashed into atree that had fallen onto the tracks in a hailstorm insouthern France today, leaving eight people seriously injured,rescue workers said. The regional service carrying some 250 passengers wastravelling at 140 kilometres an hour between Nimes andMontpellier when it hit a tree that had been uprooted by ahailstorm. One of the seriously injured was rushed to hospital byhelicopter in an "absolutely urgent" state, according to thehead of local rescue services, Christophe Risdorfer. Another 50 people suffered minor injuries or were inshock, he said. National rail operator SNCF said in a statement: "At Lunelat around 3:45 pm, a TER (regional train) going at 140 kmh hita tree which had fallen on to the track after extremelyviolent storms in the region." Around 80 rescue workers deployed to the scene, where SNCFsaid "access is very difficult." (AFP)UZM