Train Hooks On To Giant Whale Tail Sculpture After Overshooting Barrier [Video]

A metro train in the Netherlands that ran past the end of its elevated tracks was miraculously saved from plummeting to the ground after it was caught by a giant whale tail sculpture.

The incident took place Monday at the De Akkers metro station in the city of Spijkenisse in southern Holland, near the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. The train crashed through the barrier at the edge of the tracks and got caught by the art installation depicting two massive whale tails, thus escaping a 32 feet fall to the ground below.

A Twitter post by Bloomberg shows the train being safely held aloft by one of the fins and appears to have suffered only minor damages.

The train was reportedly empty, and its driver was the only person on board at the time of the crash. The driver, whose identity was not disclosed, evacuated himself from the train and was taken to a hospital for a check-up. He didn’t suffer any injuries in the crash, BBC reported.

Authorities investigating the incident have been trying to determine the exact reason for the derailment.

A team of experts was trying to find out a way to stabilize the train and lift it to safety, the Associated Press reported, citing Carly Gorter, a spokeswoman for the local security authority.

The train was monitored overnight before lifting begins Tuesday morning. Cranes were deployed to safely remove the train from its hoisted position, according to the local authorities.

The installation of the sculpture, titled "Whale Tails," dates back to 2002. Maarten Struijs, the artist who created the sculpture, said he was delighted that it saved the driver’s life.

"I am amazed that it is so strong," The Guardian quoted Struijs as saying. "When the plastic has stood for 20 years, you don't expect it to hold up a metro train."