Serbian family killed at rail crossing in Austria
A freight train killed both parents from Serbia at a level crossing in Lower Austria, while their two-year-old daughter was the only survivor and was airlifted to hospital.
- The crash happened on Saturday, 6 June at around 4 p.m. in Allentsteig, in the Zwettl district of Lower Austria.
- A freight train struck the car of a family of three at a crossing protected by light signals.
- The father (39) and mother (34), both Serbian nationals, died at the scene, while their two-year-old daughter was the only survivor.
- The girl was airlifted to hospital and later discharged into the care of her grandmother.
A family of three from Serbia drove onto a railway crossing in Lower Austria on Saturday, where a freight train struck their car. Both parents died in the crash, while their two-year-old daughter was the only survivor. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
The crash occurred at around 4 p.m. in Allentsteig, in the Zwettl district. According to available information, the car carrying the Serbian nationals was on the crossing as the freight train approached. The crossing was secured with light signals.
How did the crash at the crossing happen?
The freight train hit the car at full force on the crossing. The father, 39, and the mother, 34, who was driving, both died at the scene. Rescuers could do nothing to save them.
The two-year-old girl was found on the back seat of the vehicle. She was the only one to survive the impact. Given the severity of the situation, she was airlifted to hospital, where doctors found she had not suffered serious injuries. The girl was soon discharged and handed over to the care of her grandmother.
Freeing the vehicle from beneath the train took hours. According to rescue crews, the car was so badly trapped that two winch cables were needed to pull it clear. Traffic on the stretch was suspended during the operation.
The key circumstances known so far:
- the crash happened at a crossing protected only by light signals
- a family of three from Serbia was in the car
- both parents died at the scene
- the two-year-old daughter survived and was airlifted to hospital
Why do investigators still not know the cause?
Austrian authorities have opened an investigation to establish exactly what happened at the crossing. Several possible causes are being examined, including inattention, reduced visibility and a vehicle fault.
According to unofficial information, part of the car was sitting on the track moments before the impact. Investigators are also checking whether the engine stalled on the rails, which would have left the family unable to clear the danger zone in time. None of these versions has yet been officially confirmed.
The family who died was well known in the local community. The mayor of the town described them as exceptionally pleasant people.
They were very kind, everyone who knew them described them as exceptionally pleasant people, said the local mayor, Georg Marksteiner.
Crossings protected only by light signals, without barriers, have long been seen as risk points on Europe’s railways. Visibility, the speed of the oncoming train and the condition of the vehicle are often decisive in the seconds that determine the outcome. The final findings of the investigation are yet to reveal exactly what happened in Allentsteig.
Do you think rail crossings without barriers pose too great a risk for drivers?
