A teenage girl has died after falling onto the tracks and getting run over by a train while subway surfing in New York City late Sunday.
The teen, who has not been identified by police, reportedly fell between the tracks and struck by a southbound train just before 11 p.m. The incident happened near the 111th Street station in Corona. The teen did not survive. She was believed to be around 13 or 14 years old.
The victim was accompanied by another female subway surfer who was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital following the incident. That girl was in critical condition, suffering a fractured skull and brain bleeding after also being hit by the train. The girl is currently unable to breathe on her own, the New York Post reported, citing sources with knowledge of the matter.
Sixth Death in a Year
The teen is the sixth person to die in a subway surfing incident in the city so far in 2024, per Gothamist.
Just days before her death, 13-year-old Adolfo Samabria died while subway surfing in the Queens. His body was found at the Forest Avenue station. Last month, an 11-year-old boy was also struck and killed while subway surfing.
Disturbing Rise in Subway Surfing Incidents
Between 2020 and 2023 alone, there has been a 366% increase in reported subway surfing incidents. It's become even worse this year as the deaths surpass those reported in 2023, which saw five people get killed while subway surfing.
For perspective, subway surfing involves riding on the exterior of a moving train. Apart from the risk of falling in between the tracks, subway surfers are also at risk of getting electrocuted if they come into contact with electrical components.
Several factors contribute to the rise in subway surfing. Social media, for one, popularized the dangerous activity. Some teenagers also engage in subway surfing due to the dangerous nature of the act.
As part of an effort to address the issue, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has pushed for public service announcements online and in stations to warn about the dangers of subway surfing under the "Subway Surfing Kills - Ride Inside, Stay Alive" campaign.
