A manhunt for a knife attacker who stabbed a passenger on a busy train carriage in south-east London is gathering pace as the victim fights for life in hospital.
A man was stabbed in broad daylight in front of horrified passengers on a train near Beckenham.
Footage posted online of the stabbing shortly before 4pm onboard a Southeastern service travelling from Shortlands railway station to Beckenham Junction showed passengers screaming for the attacker to stop as he is seen to be swinging the knife.
Officers with the British Transport Police said they rushed to Beckenham Junction station where they found the victim with “serious injuries”.
He was rushed to hospital with life-threatening wounds.
Dozens of officers were on Thursday working on the case as they tried to close the net on the dangerous criminal.
Officers were trawling through hours of CCTV footage as they tried to piece together the knifeman’s movements after he fled the scene.
Forensics tests are also being carried out on the train carriage and images caught on the train’s CCTV analysed in minute detail.
The chilling footage showed the attacker wielding a large machete-like knife and repeatedly thrusting towards the victim, who is out of shot, on a train seat, while nearby passengers desperately called for police and paramedics.
One audibly shaken passenger can be heard to say: “F*****g stop it now”, before adding to a 999 call handler: “There’s a man with a big knife … This man is stabbing someone on the train.”
Another can be heard asking: “Where’s the ambulance, where’s the ambulance?”
Police have launched an appeal for witnesses, and there have been no arrests so far.
Enquiries are ongoing and there have been no arrests so far.
A Southeastern trains spokesperson said: “We are aware of a serious incident on board one of our services this afternoon.
“We are urgently assisting the British Transport Police and would urge anyone with any information to contact them immediately.
“All of our trains are fitted with CCTV and we will be providing this footage to the British Transport Police to assist with their enquiries.
“We also have an integrated safeguarding team, comprised of Southeastern, BTP and Network Rail colleagues and we are already working together to find those responsible.”
British Transport Police urged anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 397 of 27/03/2024.
Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
