A British soldier has been electrocuted after climbing on to a tank on a freight train.
The Scots Dragoons Guardsman (24), who has not yet been named, came into contact with overhead wires carrying 15,000 volts.
His regiment was travelling to a new base in Germany when the accident happened. An ambulance service spokesman said the soldier died instantly.
The accident happened at the Linden train station in Hanover and closed the line between Hanover and Haste for several hours.
An army spokesman said: "We can't give a lot of details out because at the moment the family of the young man have not been informed. We will release details only when the military and civilian authorities have finished their investigation".
Mr Hans Juergen Frohns from the German railway authority said: "As far as we are concerned the overhead lines complied with all the regulations and were not too low. This man simply climbed too high with tragic consequences".
The train loaded with Challenger tanks stopped on its way to Falling-Bostel, 30 minutes south of Hamburg.
PA