Four people injured in axe attack on German train, police say

Police and forensics officers have been at the site of the train incident. Picture: Armin Weigel/dpa via AP

A man on a long-distance train in southern Germany attacked and slightly injured four people with an axe before he was detained by police, authorities said.

Police in Straubing said the attack happened on an ICE express train headed to the Austrian capital, Vienna, while it was between Straubing and Plattling in the southern state of Bavaria.

About 500 people were on board when the attack happened, police said.

About 150 police officers, firefighters and emergency personnel were deployed to the scene, police added. The railway line was closed down.

Police did not immediately provide further details on the identity of the attacker or his motive, but later said that he was overpowered by fellow passengers and had also been injured.

Police said that in addition to the axe, the perpetrator may also have used other weapons.

The perpetrator “is probably somewhat more seriously injured”, a police spokesperson told German news agency dpa. He was in police custody and receiving medical treatment.

The injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals.

According to the Bavarian Red Cross, the emergency services were alerted at around 2pm local time on Thursday, after passengers pulled the emergency brakes.

The Red Cross said a special care centre was set up nearby to take care of passengers. In addition to numerous rescue services and two helicopters, psychological caregivers were deployed to help those who were not injured but might have been traumatised.

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said in a statement that “our thoughts and sympathy are with the injured and all those who now have to come to terms with what they have experienced”, and thanked the emergency services for the quick arrest of the suspect.