An investigation has moved forward after a passenger was forced to run alongside an Elizabeth line train after his hand became trapped in the doors.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is examining what happened just after midnight at Ealing Broadway station on November 24.
On Monday it appealed for the passenger or anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.
In a summary of the so-called “trap and drag” incident, it said that the unnamed passenger’s hand “became trapped in the closing doors of a train at Ealing Broadway station on the Elizabeth line”.
The RAIB said on Tuesday December 24: “The train subsequently departed from the platform with the passenger’s hand still trapped in the doors.
“The passenger, who had been attempting to board the train, was forced to run alongside it for several metres before being pulled away by a member of railway staff who was working on the platform.
“The driver was alerted to what was happening by nearby passengers, and the train stopped after moving approximately 17 metres.
“The passenger is reported to have sustained minor injuries because of the accident.”
It is the latest alarming incident involving the Elizabeth line at Ealing Broadway station.
At least three passengers have suffered injury after falling between the sizeable gap between the platform and train at the station, prompting an apology from Mayor Sadiq Khan and a promise to look into whether the platform can be raised in height.
In an updated appeal on January 6, the RAIB said: “At around 00:07 on Sunday 24 November 2024, a passenger’s hand got stuck in the doors of a departing Elizabeth line train on platform 3 of Ealing Broadway station. The train departed with the passenger’s hand still trapped in the doors before they were pulled clear of the train by a member of staff.
“RAIB is conducting an independent safety investigation into this incident and would like to hear from the passenger involved or anyone who witnessed the incident.
“If you have any information, please call 01332 253324 during office hours or email witness@raib.gov.uk at any time. Any contact will be treated in the strictest confidence #Ealingbroadway”
A TfL spokesperson said: “We're sorry that our customer experienced this distressing incident. Safety is our top priority and our operator, MTR-Elizabeth line, is currently carrying out a thorough investigation.
“We will always strive to learn from incidents and improve operational safety. MTR-Elizabeth line is fully co-operating with the RAIB to establish the root cause of this incident to determine what steps they can take to avoid any further events of this nature and to share learnings with the industry.
“While serious injuries on our network are rare, we are undertaking a huge range of work aimed eradicating such incidents and making travelling even safer for everyone.”
The incident came in the wake of a rail industry campaign to warn passengers to stand behind the yellow line, after a man was knocked over by a Thameslink train at Blackfriars station.
The RAIB said its investigation will seek to establish the sequence of events that led to the accident at Ealing Broadway.
It will also consider:
* the actions of those involved and anything which may have influenced them
* the arrangements in place to manage and control the risks associated with passengers boarding and alighting from trains on the Elizabeth line
* post-incident management of platform-train interface accidents
* any underlying management factors.
The RAIB will publish its findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, when its investigation concludes next year.
In February last year, a 101-year-old woman required hospital treatment after her coat got caught in the closing doors of a Northern line Tube train at Archway.
This was followed two months later by a similar incident at Chalk Farm station.
The incidents led the RAIB to make a series of safety recommendations to TfL, which subcontracts the operation of the Elizabeth line to private consortium MTR.
