German tourists airlifted to hospital after being hit by train on Rannoch Moor

By ALISTAIR MUNRO
Published on 15/08/2012 16:55

A GERMAN tourist is fighting for his life after he and his father were struck by a train near to a Highland rail station.

The men, aged 87 and 49, were airlifted to hospital, one suffering serious leg injuries while the other had minor head injuries.

They were hit by the train travelling from Mallaig to Glasgow on Tuesday evening as they were on their way back to Rannoch rail station following a fishing trip.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: “At 6.40pm on Tuesday 14 August, we were called following reports of two people being struck by a train near to Rannoch rail station, Perthshire.

“Officers attended, alongside colleagues from Tayside Police and the air ambulance, and discovered two men had been struck by a train.

“Both men were airlifted to hospital. The 49-year-old man, from Germany, remains in a critical condition with injuries that are described as life-threatening.

“His 87-year-old father, also from Germany, was released from hospital this morning after being treated for minor cuts and bruises.

“It is believed that the men were making their way back to Rannoch rail station following a fishing trip. There do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.

The train involved was the 4.05pm Mallaig to Glasgow Queen Street service.