GERMAN FIREFIGHTERS REMOVE “MOURNING” SWAN BLOCKING RAILROAD LINES

Tue 29 December 2020:

According to police, 23 trains were delayed by about 50 minutes in the incident

Police and firefighters in Germany were forced to intervene to move an apparently “mourning” swan that was blocking a high-speed railway line, according to a statement released by the rescuers on Monday.

According to police, 23 trains were delayed by about 50 minutes in the incident, which occurred on December 23, but was revealed five days later.

The swan was pictured blocking the line near Fuldatal, causing at least 20 trains to be cancelled, after a second swan was killed when it flew into the overhead line above the tracks.

After the accident the second swan settled on the railway tracks below, preventing trains from passing on the route from Kassel to Göttingen. According to reports in local media, firefighters brought in specialist equipment to remove the dead swan from the overhead lines and the second swan from the tracks, taking it to the Fulda river where it was released.

It has been observed before that swans apparently mourn their mates, with the birds remaining near the site of another’s death.