Death toll now 4 in Schwebebahn river plunge

Photo: AP

Three people died in the accident which occurred to the first train after the weekend closure at 05.47 at a point where the water is approximately 3 feet (1m) deep. Another person died later in hospital. More than fifty people were injured.

The train became derailed and fell some 25 feet (8 m) into the river Wupper. The centre part of the train became suspended from a 'district heating' pipeline which crosses the river. A metal clamp was found in the carrying rail that had not been cleared away after renovation work at the weekend. It is not known if this caused the accident. Operation of the Schweberbahn was suspended and a bus service substituted.

The Schwebebahn was opened in 1901 with Kaiser Wilhelm travelling in the inaugeral train. The monorail runs for about 8 miles (13 km), much of it along the River Wupper and carries about 70,000 passengers each day.