The derailment of a passenger train in Aberdeenshire has seen a major incident declared following reports of serious injuries.
Emergency services are responding to the “extremely serious” incident in Stonehaven after being called to the scene around 9.40am on Wednesday.
Footage posted on social media showed smoke billowing above trees surrounding the railway line.
A number of ambulances and a medical helicopter were pictured parked in a nearby field.
The Scottish Ambulance Service said they had deployed six ambulances, special operations response teams, an air ambulance, and patient transport vehicles.
Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the derailment of the ScotRail train as an “extremely serious incident”.
“I’ve had an initial report from Network Rail and the emergency services and am being kept updated,” she posted on Twitter.
Speaking later during First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon said there had been “early reports of serious injuries” as she revealed a “major incident” had been declared.
Thunderstorms had caused flooding across Aberdeenshire on Wednesday, prompting the cancellation of some rail services and the shutting of a number of schools.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had held an urgent meeting with rail operators about the Stonehaven derailment.
“British Transport Police & Network Rail are on location, along with rail workers who were nearby,” the UK cabinet minister posted on Twitter.
