Eschede derailment. June 3, 1998 - Eschede, Celle District, Germany. The crash was due to metal fatigue which caused a cracked wheel to fail and disintagrate, derailing the train at a point just before a road bridge. The high speed Intercity Express ICE 884 was travelling between Hamburg and Hanover with 287 passengers when it plowed into the concrete structure. 101 people were killed, and 88 others were injured. It is the worst rail disaster in Germany.