Tragic irony of couple who traveled the world for five years without incident only
to be hit by a train and killed just metres from their home
31 August 2012
dailymail.co.uk
A couple who spent five years travelling the world together died just two days after returning home
when they were hit by a train metres from their apartment. Daniela Weiss and partner Daniel Oelter,
both 38, had journeyed across some of the planet's most dangerous areas in a marathon tour that
took them through Asia, the Middle East and South America. But they were killed when they were
struck by a train as they crossed a rail track near their home in Granichen, Switzerland, at around
9.20pm on Wednesday evening.
Daniel Oelter and Daniela Weiss, both 38, pictured during their five year world trip
The couple were seen embracing shortly before they were hit by a train travelling around 70 kph.
Daniel was killed instantly, while Daniela was taken to hospital in Aarau but died the following
morning. Daniela's mum, Margrit Weiss, 70, said: 'I knew they were off travelling in many places
where there was danger. I always knew something could happen. I worried every day. It was only
when they got back that I stopped worrying - I never dreamed this could happen outside my front
door. ‘At 1.30 in the morning I heard a knock at the door. I thought Daniela had forgotten her keys.
But when I opened it the police were there. ‘When the police told me what had happened my throat
just seized up. I thought I could not breathe. Daniela is our only child. ‘Daniela was the best
daughter you could wish for and Daniel was a great boyfriend to her. They were just great together.
‘It was so good to see my daughter again and have her home - but she died at the place which
should have been the safest in the world,’ she added. Daniela had decided to come back to
Switzerland as she had problems with her teeth and needed treatment. The glove trotting couple met
and fell in love at 2005. They worked in Switzerland and shared their passion for travel - and
eventually they decide to give up work - sell all they had and set off on their travels.
The couple had visited Asia, the Middle East and South America together before returning home
where they were killed just days later Margit said: ‘He was a great man. They were both just so good
together. Daniela was very caring. She would always phone home and tell us about the wonderful
experiences she was having. I was very happy for them both. ‘In March Daniela started having
problems with her tooth. It got infected and she could not eat. She waited a while, but it didn’t get
better. So they both decided they would return to Switzerland for treatment. ‘It was such a good
feeling to see my daughter again. Finally my daughter was back. She was happy too, happy to finally
be in safe hands, to be able to eat and sleep and get her treatment. ‘On her final day she went out
for a walk with Daniel and came back around two hours later. She loved being outdoors. I then went
with my daughter to buy a TV and then we went for another walk. 'Whilst we were out her boyfriend
called and said he had maybe found a job for her. We had dinner together. I then went to bed.
Daniela said good night and I said goodbye and she went off for a walk with Daniel for some fresh
air.’ But she never saw the couple again. A witness who saw the accident has claimed the pair were
having a discussion shortly before they died and that they were seen cuddling by the tracks.
Daniela’s mother Margit said: ‘They were not deliberately standing on the tracks. They were excited
about their future in Switzerland. She had taken her walking sticks with her, they were just out for a
walk. 'The pair were probably discussing Daniela’s new job. Perhaps they were distracted as they
would normally have used the underpass.’ For Margit her world too ended under the wheels of the
train. She said: ‘Losing your child is the worst thing that can happen to anyone. You just do not
imagine it can happen to you - just when we thought we had our child back and had even felt we
had gained a son - we lost them both her forever.’
Final Destination
31. 08. 12. - 12:00
austriantimes.at
A couple who'd spent five years travelling the world together died just a few metres from their
apartment when they were hit by a train only days after coming home. Daniela Weiss, 38, and
partner Daniel Oelter, 38 had journeyed across some of the planet's most dangerous hot spots in a
marathon tour that took them through Asia, the Middle East and South America. But they were killed
when they were struck by a train as they crossed a rail track near their home in Granichen
,Switzerland, in the early hours of the morning. Daniela's mum, Margrit Weiss said:" I knew they
were off travelling in many places were there was danger. I always knew something could happen. I
worried every day." "It was so good to see my daughter again and have her home - but she died at
the place which should have been the safest in the world," she added.