Tourist falls to death taking photo from train

Horror footage shows the moment a 45-year-old man fell out of a moving train while allegedly trying to take a photo.

WARNING: Distressing content

A tourist has died after falling from Thailand’s Death Railway while allegedly trying to take pictures out the door of the moving train.

The man was identified as 45-year-old Patrick Ward, whose passport said he was born in New Zealand but is also an Irish national.

He had been travelling alone on the famous WWII rail line after having arrived in Thailand on Tuesday through a tourist visa.

Mr Ward had reportedly been to the toilet on the passenger train then opened the door to take in the view and capture pictures of the scenery as it passed along cliffs above the Krasae Cave in Kanchanaburi province, 145km from Bangkok.

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The 45-year-old plunged 10 metres to his death. Picture: ViralPress

He reportedly slipped from the shaky 75-year-old train, which was going along the same wooden tracks built by prisoners of war in the 1940s.

Onlookers recording the iconic view of the train captured his horror fall where he plunged around 10 metres to his death.

The driver stopped the train and rescue teams were sent to the area. They performed CPR on the Kiwi for around 30 minutes before he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before midday.

Patrick Ward reportedly slipped from the shaky train. Picture: ViralPress

Lieutenant Colonel Kiattisak Kerdchoke, the investigating inspector of Sai Yok district police station, said Mr Ward had suffered a broken neck in the fall.

“I was informed at 11.54am that a tourist had fallen from the train while it was going along the railway bridge,” he said.

“A response team was co-ordinated with rescue workers and paramedics.

“Officers had to use methods to slowly descend the cliff to help the injured man. When they reached the body of the injured person, they found a large tear wound on the right arm, a broken neck. He was not responsive and not breathing.”

He had opened the door to take in the view and capture a selfie. Picture: ViralPress

The tour guide that had taken Mr Ward on the trip said he had warned holiday-makers not to lean out of the carriages, which have open spaces where they connect.

Doors can also be opened for passengers to sit on the steps and they can also lean from the windows.

Tour company owner Prairat Butdawong, 70, said that Mr Ward had moved between carriages after using the toilet and was taking a picture while the train “went round the corner”.

“I told all the tourists they cannot go out of the carriage, they strictly should not open the door,” he said.

Rescuers and emergency services rushed to where Mr Ward had fallen. Picture: ViralPress

“I said if you want to take pictures, take it from the window of the train.

“But when this tourist walked to the door of the second carriage and opened it to take a picture.

“I think the train twisted while it was turning and he lost his balance and fell. This has never happened in all the years I have been doing tours.”

A full autopsy will reportedly be conducted Wednesday in Bangkok, and fellow members of the tour group questioned.

Police officials said that they would make contact with the New Zealand embassy in Thailand and hand over custody of the body for the funeral.

The Death Railway and the bridge over the River Kwai were built by prisoners of war from Australia, the UK and other countries.

The railway line stretching to Burma was to help the German and Japanese war effort against the Allies, so they could transport supplies.