A tourist's decision to take a selfie on a historic railway line nearly ended in tragedy when she was struck by a train but incredibly survived the collision on the Alishan Forest Railway in Chiayi on Dec. 14, according to News.com.au via the New York Post.
Liu Nu, 55, was captured on video standing mere inches from the railway track, holding her phone up and smiling for a photo, when the incident occurred. Despite the train driver's attempts to warn her by sounding the horn, the front carriage collided with her shoulder, violently knocking her to the ground.
Witnesses at the scene, who can be heard screaming in the footage, immediately rushed to Liu's aid. The video shows her lying motionless on the ground immediately after impact before eventually showing signs of life by moving her legs. Emergency responders provided initial treatment at the scene, bandaging her injuries before rushing her to a nearby hospital.
Medical examination revealed Liu sustained a broken left foot in the collision. Officials noted that while the injuries were serious, she fortunately avoided fatal harm in what could have been a deadly incident.
The incident occurred during an organized excursion by Dream International Travel Agency. Investigation revealed that a group of tourists had ventured onto a restricted portion of the railway track to take photographs, prompting immediate safety alarms as they had breached the designated safety perimeter.
In response to the serious safety violation, the Lin Tie Cultural and Capital Office took swift action against the travel agency. Officials have prohibited the company from applying to enter the area for one year and imposed a substantial fine of $10,000.
Local authorities are continuing their investigation, particularly focusing on assessing any potential damage to the train or the railway track resulting from the collision. The incident has highlighted the dangerous trend of taking risky photographs near active railway lines.
Railway officials emphasized that access to the tracks is strictly prohibited for safety reasons, and the incident serves as a stark reminder of the potentially fatal consequences of ignoring safety barriers and warnings for the sake of photographs.