This photo shows the level crossing in Nabeshima, Saga Prefecture where a male and female high school student were hit by a train and confirmed dead in a suspected suicide. (Kyodo)

High school boy and girl killed by train, suicide suspected

SAGA, Japan - A male and female high school student were hit by a train Monday evening and confirmed dead in a suspected suicide in southwestern Japan, police said.
The two 16-year-olds entered a railroad crossing in Nabeshima, Saga Prefecture, while it was closed and were hit by an oncoming train around 8:55 p.m. Monday. The male student died at the scene and the female student was confirmed dead at hospital.

"The two ducked under the automatic barrier, entered the train tracks and stood with their backs to the train," the train operator was quoted by the police as saying. "I put the emergency brakes on but couldn't stop it in time."

They went to the same junior high school but attended separate high schools, according to their acquaintances.

Both students had attended school on Monday, the prefectural board of education said.

None of around 70 passengers on the train was hurt in the accident, which temporarily suspended services on the JR Nagasaki Main Line and affected about 1,800 people, the police and other sources said.

Source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190514/p2g/00m/0dm/050000c