Switzerland: Armed Iranian asylum seeker took 15 hostages on train, killed by police

By Reuters 9 February 2024, 8:30 am 1 Edit

Member of the forensic police officers inspect the inside of a train, where passengers travelling from Yverdon to Sainte-Croix were earlier held hostage by an Iranian asylum seeker, in Essert-Sous-Champvent, western Switzerland on February 9, 2024. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP)

Swiss police say a 32-year-old Iranian asylum seeker armed with an axe and a knife held 15 hostages on a train between Baulmes and Yverdon-les-Bains for almost four hours until police stormed the train and killed the man late on Thursday.

“The hostages were all released unharmed,” police in the Vaud canton say in a statement. “The hostage taker was fatally wounded during the intervention.”

No details regarding the perpetrator’s possible motives have been released.

Hostage situations are rare in Switzerland but have occurred at banks and businesses.

In January 2022, employees of a watch-making firm were taken hostage and forced to open a vault containing precious metals.