One dead, 14 injured after trains collide in Munich – police

14 Feb, 2022 17:27 / Updated 3 years ago
Two S-Bahn trains collided south of Munich, Germany, on Monday

Two local S-Bahn trains collided in a serious incident south of Munich city in Germany on Monday. At least one person has been killed and 14 others injured, according to local police. 

The crash occurred near the Ebenhausen-Schäftlarn station, some 10 kilometers (six miles) south of the city, a police spokesperson added, with one of the trains going off the rails but remaining upright.

Some of the wounded have sustained serious injuries, local media said, while one train driver is reportedly trapped at the scene. The collision occurred at around 4.40pm local time on a single-track rail line.

In a statement on the incident, Munich Police said that emergency services were on site, and the route has been completely closed. The company that operates the S-Bahn commuter service said that replacement bus services have been set up while the route is closed.

It is not clear what caused the collision and a federal police investigation into the incident is underway.

Eyewitnesses have reported that one of the trains had stopped on the track just before the incident, according to local newspaper Merkur. A 19-year-old passenger told the paper that the collision occurred shortly after one train left Ebenhausen station. He added that everyone on board was thrown from their seats by the crash. Several passengers were reportedly still in shock.

Another eyewitness seated in the back car of one train confirmed there was a violent bang when they collided, with smoke forcing passengers to leave the compartment. She told the paper that the train which was bound for central Munich had crashed head-on with the train to Wolfratshausen. The drivers' cabs were said to be wedged together, the outlet reported.