A collision between two trams on Rotterdam's Erasmus Bridge on Wednesday morning left 15 people injured, one of them seriously, according to local authorities. The accident occurred around 11:10 when a tram travelling from the city centre struck the rear of a stationary tram on the bridge, webcam footage showed. Rotterdam authorities initially reported 18 injuries but later revised the figure to 15, the Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported. An AFP journalist at the scene observed significant damage to the front of both vehicles, with debris scattered across the roadway.

Rotterdam public transport operator RET said it was “deeply shocked” by the footage and was cooperating with emergency services to determine the cause of the collision. RET noted that the trams are equipped with a safety device that requires the driver to keep a button or pedal pressed, otherwise an emergency stop is automatically triggered, the French-language outlet Atlasinfo reported. The company added that it would do everything possible to uncover how the accident happened.

The collision forced the closure of the Erasmus Bridge to traffic in both directions. Emergency services, including a medical helicopter, were deployed to the scene, according to regional broadcaster Rijnmond. Injured passengers were evacuated using stretchers and wheelchairs, and the seriously injured victim was taken to hospital.

The incident is the second tram collision in central Rotterdam in just over a year. On 11 July 2025, eight people were injured in another collision involving two trams in the city centre, Atlasinfo reported. The cause of Wednesday's crash remains under investigation.