Man survives 500km journey on outside of TGV
He was hidden in crevice at end of train and suffered from hypothermia
The man spent over two hours hiding, travelling at speeds of up to 300 km/h, before he was spotted
Markus Mainka / Shutterstock
Authorities have expressed their surprise and confusion after a man survived a 500km journey on the outside of a high-speed train in France.
The 42-year old, of Polish origin, was found by controllers at Valence TGV station, on a train going from Paris to Barcelona.
He was found hiding in a section between the last carriage and the trailing engine of the train, where he had spent over two hours during the journey.
鈥淭he man managed to get himself into a sort of crevice, which was particularly uncomfortable. At the moment, we don't know how he managed,鈥� said a local police officer to media outlet .
Once spotted by rail authorities at the station, police and firefighters were called to assist the man, who refused to hand over his identity or the reason he was outside of the train.
He was suffering from hypothermia 鈥� the train reached speeds of over 300km/h before stopping at Valence 鈥� and was taken to the nearby hospital.
Unclear how he boarded train
Authorities are also unsure as to how the man managed to place himself on this part of the train.
Access to platforms at Paris Gare de Lyon station (from where the train departed) is controlled by electronic gates and manned staff, meaning it is unlikely he gained access through the station.
It is possible he was able to enter the train depot and hide between the carriages in advance.
Neither the SNCF nor police authorities in the Auvergne-Rh么ne-Alpes region have provided any updates.
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