Train derails in Swiss Alps: Carriage hanging over ravine

A train has derailed in Switzerland following a landslide near the ski resort of St Moritz.

It is believed three carriages left the track, and one was seen hanging over a ravine.

Eleven passengers were hurt, five suffered serious but non life-threatening injuries, while six suffered minor injuries. One of the passenger carriages fell 30ft into a ravine, but miraculously no one was killed.

The incident occurred after a landslide brought on by heavy rain, reports the Metro.

The BBC reports that the train was hit on a mountainous track near Tiefencastel, between Chur and St Moritz in the region of Graubuenden.

Four helicopters were sent to the scene to help with the rescue, while police divers were also sent as it was first believed one of the carriages may have fallen into the water below.

Blick reports that as many as 10 passengers were in one of the fallen carriages.

According to the Daily Mail, police spokesman Daniel Zinsli said there were 140 people on the train.

The paper added that Steven Bueller, who was on board, told Swiss radio: "We all went to the back to shift the weight, to try to stop it from pitching into the ravine. It was a nightmare scene with many terrified people aboard."

The service is run by Rhaetische Bahn, whose bright red trains are very popular with holidaymakers.

Back in February, two people died and several others injured after a tourist train was derailed by a landslide in the French Alps.

The train, which was travelling from the Riviera city of Nice to the town of Digne-les-Bains, was left dangling from the mountainside with people still trapped inside it after being hit by a huge falling rock.


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