U-Bahn "surfing" accident leaves Berlin teen with life-threatening injuries
By Olivia Logan
A teenager is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after attempting to “surf” an U-Bahn train over the famous Oberbaumbrücke in Berlin.
18-year-old hospitalised after U-Bahn surfing accident
On the afternoon of July 14, police in Berlin received a call that three young people had been spotted lying on the roof of an U-Bahn train as it was leaving Warschauer Straße station to cross the Oberbaumbrücke bridge.
Shortly after the train left the station one member of the group was caught in scaffolding and dragged onto the tracks, sustaining life-threatening injuries. The 18-year-old was brought to hospital by the emergency services.
The two remaining members of the group stayed on the U-Bahn roof and are yet to be identified.
YouTuber dissuaded copycats from Oberbaumbrücke jump
In late 2023, a YouTuber was injured while jumping from an U-Bahn train crossing the Oberbaumbrücke. Attempting to jump into the River Spree from the train, the “surfer” hit a bridge foundation and was injured, later uploading a video to YouTube warning people not to copy the stunt.
Police say that it is difficult to say how many U-Bahn surfing incidents there are in Berlin each year, but U-Bahn surfing accidents are not uncommon in the German city, with around 18 related deaths in the past six years. Anyone who is caught U-Bahn surfing faces a 50.000 euro fine.
Thumb image credit: A.Kozyreva / Shutterstock.com
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Editor for Germany at IamExpat Media. Olivia first came to Germany in 2013 to work as an Au Pair. Since studying English Literature and German in Scotland, Freiburg and Berlin she has worked as a features journalist and news editor.Read more