That the end of today's live page coverage of the Stonehaven derailment.

Here's a summary of the day's tragic events and what is known about them:

• The train involved was the 06:38 Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street service
• At 09:43 transport police were alerted that a serious derailment has taken place at Carmont, west of Stonehaven, and a major emergency response was launched.
• The area had seen heavy rain and flooding, and it is believed a landslip was involved in the derailment.
• It was later confirmed that three people including the driver had died. Six others were hurt but not seriously.
• The RMT later said one of the other fatalities was the train's conductor.
• Aerial footage shows badly damaged locomotives and carriages, with one having fallen down a steep embankment.

We'll be bringing you any more developments on this story on the BBC Scotland news website.

The RMT union has issued a statement after confirming that one of those who died was the train conductor.

Senior Assistant General Secretary Mick Lynch said the news that the driver and one of its conductor members were among the three dead was "the most dreadful news".

He added that the union's thoughts are with the families, colleagues and friends of those who have lost their lives, calling it a "tragedy".

Mr Lynch added: "RMT will unite to provide support, assistance and solidarity at this distressing time.

"Safety on the railway has to be an absolute priority and this union will be working with the various agencies to establish the facts behind this disaster which has sent shock waves right throughout our industry."

David Shukman
Science editor, BBC News

Image source, PA Media

It's long been recognised that landslips are one of the greatest risks to Britain's railways and that a changing climate will make them more likely.

Heatwaves and droughts can dry out the steep embankments beside the tracks, and over the years will start to weaken them.

Add to that the effects of heavy rain, of the kind seen just now in Scotland, saturating and eroding the soil, and undermining its strength.

And with rising global temperatures set to bring extremes of weather never anticipated by the Victorian engineers who built the lines, Network Rail has been studying how best to keep the tracks safe.

But it admits that "we know we can't rebuild every mile of railway".

One of the three people who died in the rail derailment in Aberdeenshire was the train conductor, the RMT union has confirmed.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the BBC: "One of the reasons this accident is so shocking is because these accidents on the railways are thankfully so rare.

"Our thoughts are very much with those who have lost their lives and their families and, of course, those that have been injured in the derailment."

Mr Johnson said: "Clearly the most important thing now is that the British Transport Police, who are in charge of the investigation, find out exactly what happened and we all work together to make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Local MSP Mairi Gougeon told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme that there has been an increase in flash flooding in recent years in the North East of Scotland. However, she said the train derailment today has shocked everyone.

She said: "In the town of Stonehaven, there have been issues with flooding. They are actually having a flood scheme implemented there just now.

"In relation to the area, I mean you can see from the photos, the area itself is really difficult to access. But I'm certainly not aware of any incidents like that happening, definitely within my lifetime, or of landslides or landslips occurring.

"For an incident like that to happen, I think that's why it's so shocking for everyone. We've never experienced anything like that before," she said.

Image source, PA Media

The Met Office said the level of rainfall was recorded between 0600 and 1000 in the Dunnottar area.

The downpours and thunderstorms resulted in flooding in the centre of Stonehaven.

A landslip is suspected of having been a factor in the derailment a few miles away which claimed three lives.

There has not been a train derailment which has caused significant loss of life and injury in more than 10 years.

The most recent fatalities on UK rail were in South Wales in 2019 when two railway workers were killed after being struck by a Great Western train near Port Talbot. They were working without a lookout.

In November 2004 an intercity train travelling on the Reading and Taunton line hit a car on a level crossing, derailing a train that killed seven people and injured more than 70 others.

In May 2002 an East coast main line train derailed because of an undetected points failure. Coaches rolled and came to rest on platforms. Seven people were killed and 76 injured.

In February 2001, 10 people were killed in the Great Heck Rail Crash near Selby when a train derailed after hitting a Land Rover that had rolled onto track because the driver had fallen asleep. It was hit by a passenger and freight train.

In October 1999 at Ladbroke Grove in London 31 people were killed in a head-on collision after a driver passed a signal.

Image source, PA Media

Scottish Transport Minister Michael Matheson said the Scottish government's resilience committee (SGoRR) had meet earlier and had been provided with regular updates on the Stonehaven train derailment.

"I also plan to meet with some of the emergency responders tomorrow morning," he said.

“I would like to thank all the engineers and emergency services who are responding to this incident and the challenging conditions they are dealing with at this time.”

Image source, Google

A rail industry source has confirmed that the 0638 Aberdeen to Glasgow service was heading south when it derailed.

It is thought that the train initially came across flooded line and the driver stopped and contacted control to ask permission to seek a different route

It’s believed the driver reversed the train to a set of points and switched to a different set of tracks, which was clear.

The train then apparently continued on its route towards Glasgow before it possibly hit a landslide and derailed.

The Scotrail passenger train derailed about four miles south of Stonehaven station in an area of rural Aberdeenshire called Carmont.

British Transport Police have confirmed that three people have been pronounced dead at the scene of the derailment near Stonehaven.

Formal identification is still to take place but the driver is believed to be among those who died and his family have been informed. They are being supported by specialists.

Officers are working to inform the families of the other two passengers who died.

Six people are being treated for injuries but these are not believed to be serious.

British Transport Police said they believed all passengers had been accounted for but a thorough search would continue after the area has been made safe.

An investigation will be carried out. directed by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal, to figure out what happened.

British Transport Police's Chief Inspector Brian McAleese said: "This was a tragic incident and first and foremost our thoughts are with the friends and family of those who have very sadly died this morning.

"I would like to reassure the public this was not a busy service. From CCTV inquiries and witness statements we believe all passengers have been accounted for.

"However, once the area is made safe then a full and thorough search will be conducted."

He said that the search would take some time and anyone with concerns about friends or family could contact the British Transport Police casualty bureau on 0141 775 5122.

An aerial view of the scene at Carmont, near Stonehaven, shows how one carriage has fallen down a steep embankment.

Three people including the driver died and six others were taken to hospital.

The incident involved the 06:38 ScotRail service from Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street which left the tracks at about 9:40.

The stretch of railway line where the derailment occurred has had problems with mudslides in the past.

On 22 October, 2002 the Aberdeen to Dundee line was closed due to a landslide at Carmont during torrential rain and gales.

And a Network Rail report from 2014 included Carmont in a "list of sites which in recent years have been greatly affected by earthslips”.

The track operator’s report said improvement work had been carried out at Carmont, specifically, “remediation of cutting slope following emergency, after mudslide due to flooding”.

Aerial shots show the derailment of the passenger train near Stonehaven.

The train carriages have left the line and one has slipped down the embankment.

Three people have been pronounced dead at the scene of this derailment near Stonehaven at 9.40 this morning.

The driver is thought to have been among those who died.

Six people have been taken to hospital with injuries which are not thought to be life threatening.

The passenger train was made up of two locomotive power cars and four carriages.

Three of the carriages have left the rails and one appears to have overturned.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Kevin Lindsay is the organiser in Scotland for Aslef, the train drivers' union. He confirmed the driver was a member of the union.

The organiser told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme how the derailment would be investigated.

He said: "The rail accident investigation branch will come on site. They will investigate the train, the track, the signalling system, the performance of the train, the performance of the signalling, the performance of every train crew member who was on the train.

"They will also look to see if everyone had sufficient rest, everything like that. The black box, which many people will be aware of is very similar to what's on an aeroplane, that will be examined to get as much information as possible.

"And then as an industry we we will sit down and look to see what lessons we can learn to ensure that none of this can ever happen again".

Ian Prosser, HM Chief Inspector of Railways, confirmed that inspectors from the Office of Road and Rail were on site at Stonehaven, assisting in the preliminary investigation.