A 14-year-old girl jumped on a freight train and travelled for 70 kilometres before jumping off. The incident took place in Germany, on the route between Ettlingen-Stadt and Offenburg in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. Shortly after reaching Offenburg, the girl jumped off the train while still moving, contracting an open wound on her head and abrasions on the rest of her body. Luckily, after medical treatment, the girl is fine in her health and safe at home.

The Federal Police Inspectorate of Offenburg reported the incident. Police officers were called on the site by the girl itself after fleeing the train, and together with rescue workers, took her to the hospital for medical treatment.

Dangerous game

The 14-year-old girl was not alone when onboarding the train. Another girl (15) accompanied her, and, as they found themselves in an area of track systems, they decided to climb on a standing freight train. However, when the train started moving, the 15-year-old girl managed to flee. Unfortunately, her friend did not share the same luck and was forced to travel on it for 70 kilometres.

The federal police reported that the train had to slow down just before reaching Offenburg due to strong winds. That’s when the ‘illegal passenger’ found the opportunity to jump while the train was still on the move. As a result, she was wounded and called the police for help. The reason why the two friends onboarded the train in the first place, and the train’s speed when the girl jumped off, are still under investigation.

Such situations are certainly not what industry professionals have in mind when discussing the modal shift. In fact, they can prove very dangerous and fatal for human life, and that is why entering rail tracks or freight trains is strictly prohibited if not accompanied by specialists. The police drew attention to the hazards accompanying such behaviours that can also have legal implications.