In Switzerland, a tense incident unfolded late on a Thursday as a man seized a train and took an Iranian asylum seeker and several passengers hostage. By Friday, authorities confirmed that all hostages had been released in what was described as a safe ride between the towns of Baulmes and Yverdon-les-Baines. The event drew swift attention from regional police, who stated that no one aboard was harmed during the containment and subsequent resolution of the situation — Police Vaud.
The sequence began when the 32-year-old man took control of the carriage around 18:35, compelling a railway mechanic to abandon his post and mingle with the worried travelers. The train then sat idle with its doors shut at the Essert-sous-Champvent stop, as officers worked to assess the risk and establish safe options for clearing the passengers. Local police in the Vaud canton reported that this moment marked the start of a high-stakes standoff with many questions and limited information about the aggressor — Police Vaud.
As the hours stretched, authorities described a carefully managed response. In a public statement, the police noted that when residents and officials observed people trapped on board, law enforcement moved quickly to the scene and sealed off the area to prevent any chance of harm spreading. Negotiation experts from the cantonal police joined the operation, engaging the hostage taker and coordinating with specialists trained to de-escalate such dangerous situations. The intervention was staged in the late evening, with teams executing a planned approach at approximately 22:15, as the tension on board escalated and officers sought to secure the remaining civilians — Police Vaud.
Officials later emphasized that all hostages were released without further injury and that the assailant sustained a fatal wound during the intervention. The authorities added that they began a formal inquiry through the prosecutor, who initiated the investigation to determine the motives behind the attack. At this stage, investigators have not clarified what drove the individual to seize control of the train, leaving motive unexplained and the broader context of the incident under active review by the relevant authorities — Police Vaud.