IDF soldier hit by a train, a second collapses during workout

Two IDF soldiers were seriously injured in separate incidents on Monday, with one being hit by a train and another collapsing during a physical fitness exercise.

At a train station in the central city of Lod, a soldier in his early 20s was struck by a passing locomotive, seriously injuring him, the army said.

Military Police opened an investigation into the incident, as it was not immediately clear how he wound up on the tracks, though some initial reports indicated that he had jumped, according to Army Radio.

The incident occurred on Monday morning, but the fact that he was a soldier had been kept under gag order until his family could be notified.

A second soldier was rushed to the hospital in serious condition from a base near Tel Aviv after he collapsed during physical fitness training, the IDF announced.

The soldier, whose name, age and rank have not been released, received treatment on the scene by an army medic before an ambulance took him to a nearby hospital for further treatment, the IDF said in a statement.

This too was withheld from publication until the soldier’s family could be contacted.

The army opened an investigation to determine what led to the injury.

In late March, Cpl. Yehuda Suisa died during a workout session, prompting the head of his division to temporarily call off all high-intensity training exercises.

Also Monday, an IDF helicopter executed an emergency landing in southern Israel, after a stork flew into the chopper’s window, shattering it, Army Radio reported.