Horror as toddler killed after pram 'sucked' into train from platform

A British father has spoken out about the horrific moment his 18-month-old daughter was killed by a train after her buggy rolled off the platform.

Mark McElligott, 35, originally from Southport but now lives in Austria, has thanked friends and family for their support after the tragic accident on 8 April at the Ebelsberg train station in Linz, Austria.

Mark said it was nobody's fault, but "basically a load of chance incidents which led to it happening".

His wife had decided to take the train into town as the family had a new car that she wasn't comfortable driving yet.

The tragedy occurred when Mark's wife, who is Austrian, tried to buy tickets at the station.

Speaking to the Southport Visiter, Mark said: "She only had a 20 euro note and she had tried to put it in the machine but they had no change. She asked a 17-year-old lad on the platform if he had any but he didn't so she went up to another platform to try and get a ticket because she didn't want to get on the train without one.

"She found two Euros in the pocket of her purse and she made the decision to leave Lilly for a few seconds to get a ticket and ran back down the stairs to get it.

"She put the brakes on but in those few seconds a heavy goods train came past and sucked the buggy and Lilly into the side of the train where she hit one of the wagons. It killed her instantly."

A fundraising page has since been set up for the family, which has so far raised 10,000 euros.

Mark, who works as a landscape gardener, has said the support has been "incredibly moving".

Heavy goods trains travel through the station at a speed of around 100km/h.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Mark added: "It was a tragic accident and no one is to blame. Two weeks later another boy died in the same way in Zurich. His buggy was dragged into the path of a goods train and he suffered severe head injuries so it would be good if the train companies could slow the trains down or changed the way the platforms are so they are more like ones in the UK.

"You have no protection whatsoever."

To make a donation to Mark and his family, visit youcaring.com

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