When the V/Line train John Vella was travelling on started to brake forcefully and he felt an impact, his mind filled with images he’d seen on television that morning of a horrific head-on train crash in southern Italy that killed 25 people.
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The 46-year-old Portland man, who was on the train’s last carriage when it collided with a semi-trailer at Pirron Yallock about 3.40pm on July 13, described the seconds between the impact and the train coming to a stop as the longest of his life.
“While we were in that 20-second limbo, you can only think are we going to flip or roll, and what have we hit? What's gone wrong?” he said.
Prior to the moment of impact, Mr Vella had dropped his headphones on the floor and had crouched down to pick them up, which he believed helped him avoid injuries beyond bruising and a knock to the head.
Mr Vella said as the collision unfolded many passengers shouted out in fear.
"When the train stopped and we knew we were safe, in that first minute of the train stopping (there was) a minute's silence – everybody just went quiet,” he said.
Mr Vella said the relief was replaced by some panic as people tried to work out what had happened.
He said people on his carriage were quick to help each other, checking on those suffering cuts and other injuries and offering phones for people to contact their loved ones.
After some of the dust the collision had thrown up settled and Mr Vella had a clearer view of what had happened, he called his sister and his three children – two daughters, 11 and 15, and a son, 17.
While we were in that 20-second limbo, you can only think are we going to flip or roll, and what have we hit? What's gone wrong?
- John Vella
Mr Vella, who has been receiving support from a workplace counsellor, said from the moment of the accident all he wanted was to hug his children.
“I’ll have a more positive look on my life and those around me from now on,” he said. “Two words – home and family.”