Car hit by train in police chase was stolen; Two killed were from Nijmegen and Wijchen

The car that was hit by a train in Berghem, Noord-Brabant, in the evening hours of Monday leading into Tuesday was stolen, a spokesperson for the police confirmed. The two occupants of the car who lost their lives in the collision were identified as a 43-year-old man from Nijmegen, and a 29-year-old man from Wijchen.

The vehicle was being chased by the police and was hit by a passenger train at a level railway crossing. This happened just before 1 a.m. on the Burgermeester van Erpstraat.

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) did not comment when asked why police were chasing the vehicle. The reason for the police response, and the chase itself, is now being examined, a spokesperson said.

The case is now under investigation by the Rijksrecherche, an independent service responsible for reviewing incidents involving government offices, including the use of force by police officers. The office operates under the OM, which then decides whether criminal charges will be filed.

There were no injuries among those on the train. Train service between Oss and Wijchen was at a standstill for several hours after the incident. The rail section was back in operation later on Tuesday.