New Zealand woman survives being run over by train

September 5, 2006

A New Zealand woman who lay down between railway tracks and had a freight train run over her is "incredibly lucky", sustaining only  minor injuries, according to Sue Foley, spokeswoman for the railway company, Toll Holdings.

The driver saw the woman lying in between the tracks while the train was travelling at about 20 km/h. Despite the slow speed of the train, the driver was unable to stop the train before it ran over the woman. "By the time he stopped the train and walked back down the line, she popped out from under the third wagon," said Mike Lawton, acting sergeant for Feilding police.

The woman was flown to Palmerston North Hospital after complaining about sore elbows and shoulders and receiving minor injuries.

The driver of the train has been offered counselling while he has been taken off driving duties.

Police and the train operator would not comment on why the woman was lying between the tracks.