Train Hits Man (20) in Ovcar Banja, Critical in Belgrade
A young man, M. Z. (20), was seriously injured at the railway station in Ovcar Banja. He reportedly jumped from a bridge into the Morava when a train struck him.
- A young man, M. Z. (20), was seriously injured on July 1 at the railway station in Ovcar Banja.
- According to unofficial reports, a group of young men were jumping from a bridge into the Morava when a train struck one of them.
- A special water-rescue team pulled the injured man from the river and handed him to paramedics.
- Rail traffic was suspended, and trains resumed at 5.40 p.m.
A young man, M. Z. (20), was seriously injured at the railway station in Ovcar Banja and transferred to Belgrade in critical condition. The accident happened on July 1, in the afternoon, on the stretch of track that runs through the Ovcar-Kablar Gorge.
According to unofficial information, a group of young men were jumping from a railway bridge into the Western Morava when a train hit one of them. The young man fell into the river after the impact. A special water-rescue team pulled him from the water and handed him over to an emergency medical crew.
The injured man was first taken to the general hospital in Cacak. Because of the severity of his injuries, doctors decided to move him urgently to Belgrade, where treatment continued at a specialised facility.
What is known about how it happened?
According to available information, rail traffic on that stretch was suspended because the injured person was lying on the track. As a result, trains passing through the gorge were held while rescue and medical teams worked at the scene.
Traffic returned to normal only after the person was removed from the line. Unofficial reports say trains resumed at 5.40 p.m. It has not yet been officially confirmed which train was involved or how fast it was travelling at the moment of impact.
No official statement on the circumstances of the accident has been released. The cause and exact sequence of events will be established by the competent authorities, and witness statements and the on-site investigation will show whether this was an accident that occurred during risky play near the track.
The Ovcar-Kablar Gorge is a popular summer destination, and the Western Morava is a river where young people often swim. Jumping from bridges and rocks into the river, though tempting, carries a serious risk, especially on sections where the railway and the watercourse run side by side.
Why is jumping from bridges so dangerous?
Jumping into rivers from railway and road bridges claims lives across Serbia year after year. The water beneath bridges is often shallow or hides rocks and sediment, and depth shifts with the water level. The proximity of the track adds the danger of an approaching train, which, because of the shape of the gorge and the noise of the river, can be heard only at the last moment.
The relevant services have repeatedly warned that improvised bathing spots next to the track are not safe. Trains on such sections cannot stop suddenly, and the braking distance, even at lower speeds, is measured in hundreds of metres.
This accident again raises the question of safety on sections where the railway and the river almost touch, and of the need for clear warnings and physical barriers at the riskiest points.
The young man’s condition is still being monitored, and the exact circumstances will be known once the investigation is complete. Is it time to finally fence off and mark the most dangerous bathing spots near tracks and bridges?
