One of France's high-speed TGV trains has derailed, injuring 21 people after the collapse of an embankment, the national rail operator SNCF has said.

The accident happened at around 07:40 local time (06:40 GMT) on Thursday and involved a train traveling from the eastern city of Strasbourg to the country's capital, Paris.

The driver was among the 21 people injured. He was taken by air ambulance to hospital with serious injuries following the accident near Ingenheim, around 30 kilometers northwest of Strasbourg.

The train remained upright after hitting the collapsed embankment with a large gash to the front of it. At least two other carriages were reported to also be off the tracks.

Passenger Alexandre Sergeant told BFM television by telephone: "All of a sudden we felt an impact, and then the train was on the gravel, it kept rolling for a while and then started to lean on its side."

He continued: "We're in the third wagon, all the windows are broken, and our wagon is off the tracks."

Many passengers were in shaken by the accident but "there wasn't any wave of panic," Sergeant added.

The train was travelling at 270 kilometers per hour at the time. Rescue workers arrived shortly afterwards.

SNCF said it is the first commercially operated TGV train that has derailed since the service was inaugurated in 1981, between Paris and the southern city of Lyon.