RAINBOW END
A Northern Territory motorist is lucky to be alive after his 4WD was crushed by a fully-laden freight train early this morning.
Police said the north-bound freight train struck the Toyota Hilux near Katherine about 1am.
Katherine Police Commander Bruce Porter said the driver was forced to abandon his vehicle when it became stuck as he tried to cross the railway track just north of town.
“There is no rail crossing at this location and the vehicle has become stuck on the lines,” he said.
“Despite attempting to warn the oncoming train with torches, the fully loaded train was unable to stop in time and has crashed into the vehicle before dragging it approximately 500m.”
Emergency crews estimate the train struck the 4WD at about 80km/h before coming to a rest on a rail bridge.
The 1000m-long train, which was heading to Darwin from Bootu Creek, about 110km north of Tennant Creek, is still blocking the rail crossing and nearby private roads as engineers and police assess the situation.
No one was injured during the incident but the train driver was taken to Katherine Hospital as a precaution.
Police have interviewed the 23-year-old driver of the 4WD but it is unknown if he will be charged.
“It is very fortunate in this instance that no one was seriously injured or killed,” Commander Porter said.
“Railway tracks should only be crossed at designated crossing areas and with extreme caution at all times when doing so.”
© ninemsn 2014
A former American soldier and Iraq War veteran held captive by terror group ISIL has reportedly converted to Islam while in captivity.
Peter Kassig, who travelled to Syria as an aid worker to help victims of that nation's civil war, was captured by ISIL about a year ago.
He appeared at the end of the terror group's latest horrific video, in which British aid worker Alan Henning was murdered on camera.
The executioner, known as "Jihadi John", threatened Mr Kassig's life if airstrikes from the US and
Police said the north-bound freight train struck the Toyota Hilux near Katherine about 1am.
Katherine Police Commander Bruce Porter said the driver was forced to abandon his vehicle when it became stuck as he tried to cross the railway track just north of town.
“There is no rail crossing at this location and the vehicle has become stuck on the lines,” he said.
“Despite attempting to warn the oncoming train with torches, the fully loaded train was unable to stop in time and has crashed into the vehicle before dragging it approximately 500m.”
Emergency crews estimate the train struck the 4WD at about 80km/h before coming to a rest on a rail bridge.
The 1000m-long train, which was heading to Darwin from Bootu Creek, about 110km north of Tennant Creek, is still blocking the rail crossing and nearby private roads as engineers and police assess the situation.
No one was injured during the incident but the train driver was taken to Katherine Hospital as a precaution.
Police have interviewed the 23-year-old driver of the 4WD but it is unknown if he will be charged.
“It is very fortunate in this instance that no one was seriously injured or killed,” Commander Porter said.
“Railway tracks should only be crossed at designated crossing areas and with extreme caution at all times when doing so.”
© ninemsn 2014
A former American soldier and Iraq War veteran held captive by terror group ISIL has reportedly converted to Islam while in captivity.
Peter Kassig, who travelled to Syria as an aid worker to help victims of that nation's civil war, was captured by ISIL about a year ago.
He appeared at the end of the terror group's latest horrific video, in which British aid worker Alan Henning was murdered on camera.
The executioner, known as "Jihadi John", threatened Mr Kassig's life if airstrikes from the US and