Six people were slightly injured when the Côte tram derailed in Nieuwpoort on Monday morning, according to the Westhoek emergency services.
Tram services along the Belgian coast have been suspended between Westende and Nieuwpoort, as well as between Ostend and Knokke. Replacement buses have been put in place. The duration of the disruption is currently unknown, according to public transport company De Lijn.
The Westhoek fire brigade was called at 11:15 to an accident in Nieuwpoort. Part of the tram left the tracks in a bend, but did not overturn. Six people with minor injuries were taken to hospital in Veurne. Around 30 other passengers were taken care of before being able to continue their journey on replacement buses. Albert I Avenue, which connects the seaside resort to the centre of Nieuwpoort, is also closed to traffic.
Another tram also derailed on Monday afternoon in Zeebrugge, without causing any injuries.
These two incidents come the day after a third similar accident in Blankenberge, where a tram derailed on Sunday. The vehicle could not be towed away until Monday morning.
Towing the tram away from the coast could therefore "take some time in Nieuwpoort," according to the Westhoek emergency services.
