Hostage situation on Swiss train ends with captor killed

A routine train ride through western Switzerland turned into a terrifying ordeal as a hostage situation unfolded, First Post reported.

Armed with an axe and a knife, a Swiss man hijacked a train, holding 15 people hostages, including 14 passengers and a conductor, in western Switzerland on Thursday.

The deadlock went on for four hours, dramatically ending with a police raid that killed the suspect after he charged the police with an axe.

Fortunately, the hostages remained unharmed and were released safely once the captor was killed.

The incident occurred in Essert-Sous-Champvent, western Switzerland, on Thursday night between 6:35pm and 10:30pm local time.

According to Vaud canton police spokesperson Jean-Christophe Sauterel, "the hostage-taker was armed with an axe and a knife and was speaking Farsi and English."

The suspect had forced the conductor of the train to join the passengers after the train had stopped near Yverdon.

"At this stage of the investigation, the motives of the perpetrator are not known," Sauterel said.

The hostage-taker's identity, he added, was still not officially confirmed, and checks were being carried out.

Negotiations with the suspect took place in part via WhatsApp and with the help of a translator speaking Farsi.

Authorities ultimately decided to storm the train and manoeuvred to keep the man away from the hostages, according to Sauterel.