"Her journey had only just begun": the train attendant who was killed aged 19 while evacuating passengers

A train attendant who died while evacuating passengers on the Odesa railway has been named as Ilona Vovk. Ilona, who was just 19, had completed a training placement in Germany and was on her first full-service journey with the state-run railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways).

Source: Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, Chairman of the Board of Ukrzaliznytsia

Quote: "This 19-year-old young woman had only just begun her journey as a train attendant. She had always dreamed of becoming a railway worker and was proud to have completed an internship and to have started her first full journeys.

She had been very actively involved in our young people's railway community – our HR team noticed her enthusiasm, and Ilona was one of those selected to complete an internship in Germany. So much still lay ahead of her – she was so passionate about her work."

Details: On 22 March, while a train was halted due to a Russian drone threat, Ilona was helping to evacuate passengers when she was hit by an oncoming train and fatally injured.

Pertsovskyi said a drone hit a locomotive on the Prydniprovska Railway during the same Russian attack, but the crew and passengers were saved by a timely evacuation.

Ukrzaliznytsia said an investigation into Ilona's death is underway.

Quote: "However, we already know – and it is important to say this: Ilona acted bravely and was heading to help passengers when tragedy struck.

It is said that railway safety rules are written in blood. Sadly, the rules for railway operations during wartime are being written every day – rules we are constantly forced to change and adapt. The blood in which they are written is not abstract – these are names, smiles, dreams, plans that are lost to us forever. A very painful price to pay for keeping the trains running. But despite the constant enemy attacks on the railway, we have no right to stop."

Previously: In addition to Ilona's death, one passenger sustained moderate injuries as a result of the incident on the Odesa railway.

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