Italian Derailment Death Toll Rises to Nine

The death toll from Monday's train derailment in northern Italy has risen to nine with another 28 left injured, seven of them seriously.

A landslide swept the front carriage off the tracks into a steep gorge at around 9am local time yesterday between the towns of Castelbello and Laces.

Only a line of trees stopped the train, which was carrying students and commuters, from ending up into the River Adige.

The data recorder, similar to an aircraft's black box, has been recovered and is being examined by investigators.

The line was inaugurated in 2005 and is considered to be one of the most modern in Italy.