A railway security worker is fighting for his life after falling from a train travelling at around 75mph following an alleged violent confrontation with a passenger. The 26-year-old suffered life-threatening injuries after plunging from the regional train near Ettlingen-Bruchhausen, south of Karlsruhe, Germany, on Friday evening.
According to German news outlet ka-news.de, the incident unfolded at around 7.35pm after ticket inspectors checking a 36-year-old German passenger became involved in a verbal dispute with him. Two Deutsche Bahn security workers were reportedly called to intervene after the passenger, who is alleged to have been intoxicated, began insulting them. A physical confrontation then broke out between the passenger and the 26-year-old security worker, who is reported to be a Bulgarian national. Both men are said to have fallen to the floor during the struggle before getting back to their feet. German newspaper BILD reports that the passenger then allegedly pushed the security worker against a train door, with the force of the impact apparently causing part of the entrance steps to break away.
BR24 also reported that a spokesperson for the public prosecutor’s office said the security worker fell against the train door during the violent confrontation, causing the door to be ripped from its hinges.
The regional train was travelling at approximately 120kmh, or 75mph, when the 26-year-old fell from the moving carriage near Ettlingen-Bruchhausen.
A major search operation was launched, with Tagesschau reporting that drones were among the resources deployed to search for the missing railway worker.
He was eventually discovered with life-threatening injuries on the tracks approximately two kilometres from where the train came to a stop.
According to ka-news.de, emergency medical personnel transported the injured man to hospital for further treatment.
BR24 later reported that the railway worker remained in a critical condition, citing a spokesperson for the public prosecutor’s office.
The 36-year-old passenger was arrested on board, while the train was impounded as investigators work to establish exactly what happened.
Karlsruhe Criminal Police have taken over the investigation, with witnesses being questioned and potential video footage examined.
BILD reported that authorities are also investigating why the driver apparently received no notification that a door had opened.
Deutsche Bahn said: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the attack last night on a regional train. Our thoughts are with the injured person.”
Railway union EVG said attacks on staff had reached a “new, life-threatening dimension”.
Manuel Amberger added: “That once again one of our colleagues is fighting for his life in hospital after a simple ticket check leaves us stunned and angry.”
๐บ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฝ๐ฐ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ถ๐บ/๐ช๐ถ๐ต๐ป๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐ฌ๐น๐ฌ
