US man died filming at beach

2007-10-24 08:45

Marius Louw

Cape Town - The American tourist who died after being hit by a train at about 14:00 on Tuesday while standing on the tracks to film St James beach, has not yet been identified.

Captain Elliot Sinyangana said the tourist, who was in his early forties, was standing either on the track or on the retaining wall that separates the railway line from the beach.

"He was apparently either taking photographs or video-recording the sea. The deceased, it would seem, did not hear the train coming."

The man was struck by the train and died at the scene.

He was apparently on holiday in Cape Town without his family.

Sinyangana said the travel agents who had made his holiday arrangements, had been unable to contact the deceased man's wife in America by late afternoon.

His name would be released at a later stage.

Riana Scott, a Metrorail spokesperson, told Die Burger that the incident was a real tragedy. "It is usually such a beautiful route."

She said the train driver was badly traumatised. "He's in a state and has been booked off because of shock."

Scott said the incident confirmed how dangerous railway lines were.

"The lesson from this is that other people should not do or consider doing anything like that. To stand on or near a railway line is to take an incredible chance."

She said the hearts of Metrorail's staff went out to the family of the deceased.

Chad Chapman, a photographer who was at the scene a few minutes after the accident, said paramedics from a private ambulance group had already arrived there.

"But the tourist had already died."

South Africa's former ambassador to Greece, Jannie Momberg, said he and his wife had gone for a walk on the beach on Tuesday afternoon, when they passed the scene of the accident.

"When we reached the inlet at St James, we saw that the police had cordonned off the beach. The body was still lying there, covered up," he said.

Sinyangana said no crime was suspected, but the police were conducting a judicial inquest.

"A case of culpable homicide has also been opened."

- Die Burger