Agencies criticised after Øresund train strands passengers for three hours

Passengers on a crowded Øresund train were left in darkness for three hours late Monday after the train lost power in the tunnel, DR reports. The agencies involved disagree over who was responsible for getting them out.

Ture Ertmann, a spokesperson for Øresund commuters, called the response unacceptable and said it showed there was no proper plan for such an incident.

Passengers received conflicting information about help. They were first told a Danish diesel train was on its way, but later heard it was on the Swedish side and that Denmark was not responsible after all. The train was stopped near the artificial island of Peberholm, but not in the part of the tunnel beneath the water.

The train eventually regained power and continued to Denmark. Banedanmark told DR that evacuation was Skånetrafik’s responsibility. Skånetrafik said the plan had been for Banedanmark to collect passengers with a diesel train, but power returned after a few hours, allowing the train to continue. It said an evacuation was never necessary.

Sweden’s Trafikverket, described by DR as the Swedish counterpart to Banedanmark, did not respond to the broadcaster’s requests for comment.

Ertmann said the agencies had focused on who should act and pay rather than helping passengers. He said responsibilities should be clear in any similar situation, with the immediate priority being to resolve the problem before discussing who was accountable.