The Queen has expressed her sadness and condolences after three people died after a train derailed just a short distance from where she is in residence at Balmoral Castle.
A major incident was declared on Wednesday the incident which occurred near Stonehaven, just an hour’s drive from Balmoral.
Three people, including the driver, had died with six people being taken to hospital.
In a message to the Lord-Lieutenant of Kincardineshire, The Queen said: “It was with great sadness that I heard of the train derailment earlier today in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.
“The Duke of Edinburgh, and the entire Royal Family, join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of those who have died and those who have been injured.
“Our thanks go out to the emergency services for their response and dedication.”
Around 30 emergency vehicles were quickly despatched to the scene of the derailment o Wednesday morning, including two air ambulances and a coastguard helicopter.
Aberdeenshire is currently in the midst of a local lockdown with tight restrictions in on traveling. Thankfully, as a result, it looks as if the overall casualty toll is lower than it otherwise would have been.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “My deepest condolences are with the loved ones of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident.”
The investigation into the crash is at an early stage, but it is known that Aberdeenshire suffered from a huge amount of rainfall in the hours prior to the incident.
The driver of the passenger train to Glasgow apparently asked for permission to switch to clearer tracks prior to the incident.
The BBC reports that the train did indeed change to clearer tracks, however, it is thought that it later encountered a landslide and derailed.