An overhead line fell on an ICE train near Zahna in Saxony-Anhalt, stranding hundreds of passengers. Two passengers were lightly injured, and two others collapsed from panic. The train has now reached Wittenberg station.
Near Zahna in Saxony-Anhalt, an overhead line ripped at noon and fell onto an ICE train on the Berlin–Munich route. Hundreds of passengers had to remain on board after the train stopped outside a station, a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson said.
Two passengers sustained light injuries from damaged windows, and two others collapsed due to panic and circulatory issues, according to a spokesperson for Wittenberg district. A dpa news agency reporter said the train was able to proceed independently to Wittenberg, where passengers could change trains.
Initially, the railway announced that a replacement train was not possible due to switched-off power and that passengers would have to continue by bus. Instead, a rescue train arrived and supplied the ICE with compressed air. Affected passengers can continue their journey from Lutherstadt Wittenberg, a firefighter spokesperson confirmed to dpa.
Trains between Berlin, Halle, and Leipzig are currently rerouted via Dessau and Wiesenburg, leading to delays of about 40 minutes. The stop at Lutherstadt Wittenberg is cancelled, with Dessau serving as a replacement.