Surfer Hit By Train In Kaikoura

28/02/2006
NewstalkZB

A keen surfer is lucky to be alive this afternoon after being struck by a train near Kaikoura.

The young man was hit by the Tranz Coastal on the main trunk railway line near Kaikoura this afternoon.

Police were called to the scene shortly before a quarter to four after reports a male pedestrian had been struck by a train while crossing the rail lines just north of the town.

Police say the man has been seriously injured and State Highway One was closed for a short time while the accident scene was cleared.

Toll New Zealand spokeswoman Sue Foley says apparently surfers stand on the tracks to get a good view of the surf. She says the young man obviously failed to hear the train coming.

She says he is extremely lucky to have survived.

Sue Foley says the Tranz Coastal was an hour late because of the incident

For a minute, I thought NZ had underwater trains, or maybe the surf was just high.

I suppose it beats motorists or a pedestrians being hit by a train!!!!

What's even more unusual is that we can hear the trains from about 1km away where we are, so how the hell he didn't hear one right next to him is beyond. Must have had some water in his ear or something.

Taffy, they can come around corners and out of tunnels at Kaikoura. I don't know where it was hit but it is certinaly conceivable that he wouldn't have heard it above the road traffic noise.

You must have much quieter trains down that way then Netchicken! The ones here sound like a thunder storm passing through and totally outshadow the noise from State highway 1!