Train kills four after French car chase

A freight train has killed three police officers and the suspect they were chasing following a car chase in eastern France

A 21-year-old man, driving a stolen car without a licence, was being persued by police when his vehicle became stuck on a railway line.

The police officers were attempting to free the man from his car when a freight train emerged from thick fog, hitting the three officers and also killing the suspect whose car was dragged for more than 300m.

Police had been on patrol in the eastern town of Neufchateau at 1.45am when they spotted the man driving a car, knowing that he had no licence.

The police officers chased the car for 2km before it went onto the railway crossing.

The barriers were down but the young driver tried to get around them to get away from the gendarmes.

His car became blocked by one train before the freight train came in the opposite direction hit the vehicle and started pushing it down the tracks.

The driver of the freight train told investigators he had seen the police officers waving to him to stop but he could not brake in time and hit them.

Two of the police officers and the car driver were killed instantly. The third police officer, who had one of his legs severed by the train wheels, died later in hospital.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy sent his condolences to the officers' families.