Art To The Rescue: 20-Year-Old Whale Sculpture Saves Subway From Crashing Into The Water


Train Crashes Into Whale Sculpture

A subway train in the Netherlands was saved from crashing into the way, thanks to a 20-year-old giant whale sculpture. The subway car burst through the buffers and landed on the tale of a whale, sitting suspended in the air.

Whale Sculpture Saves Subway

“To our relief, the metro operator got out of the vehicle unharmed. He is doing well under the circumstances. There were no passengers present,” said RET, the transport operator.

Whale Sculpture Saves Subway

Thankfully, the train ran into the dramatic accident at half past midnight, and there were no passengers in the train. The driver managed to leave the train just in time, and was shaken up by the whole incident.

Whale Sculpture Saves Subway

The whale sculpture was installed by architect Maarten Strujis almost 20 years ago. Had it not been there, the train would have landed 30 feet on the ground.

Whale Sculpture Saves Subway

The artwork, Saved by the Whale’s Tail, was erected in 2002 by the De Akkers station in Spijkenisse on the outskirts of Rotterdam, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is made of reinforced polyester.

Whale Sculpture Saves Subway

Workers have lifted the train with the help of two cranes, which lay about 25ft up in the air, amidst the silver cetacean.

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