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A courageous railway employee who stepped in to protect passengers during a mass stabbing incident on a express train has sustained life-threatening wounds, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

Details of the Frightening Event

Surveillance video allegedly depicts the employee attempting to halt the attacker as the train traveled between a city and another station in Cambridgeshire. Witnesses recounted a terrifying 14-minute period after the train left Peterborough, with bloodied victims fleeing through compartments.

The individual, a 32-year-old citizen from Peterborough, remains in custody for questioning. Authorities declared a major incident on the 6:25 pm service from Peterborough to King's Cross in downtown London.

Emergency Reaction and Aftermath

The incident on the weekend led to 11 people being cared for in hospital after the train made an unplanned stop at the station in Huntingdon. Several individuals have now been released from hospital.

A bystander filmed the individual waving a big knife and being subdued with a stun device as he faced police on the station. He was allegedly heard shouting, "Kill me, kill me."

“This terrible incident has affected many people. My thoughts and those of everyone in British Transport Police are with those injured and their families – particularly the brave employee of rail staff whose relatives are being supported by trained personnel,” stated a high-ranking law enforcement official.

Union Reaction and Calls for Measures

Rail associations were quick to praise staff and demand increased measures. A union leader said he would be “requesting urgent meetings with authorities, rail employers and police to guarantee that we have the best possible assistance, resources and robust protocols in place”.

Another union leader encouraged the train operator and authorities “to act swiftly to examine safety, to help the affected workers, and to ensure that no incident like this happens again”.

Operator Commended for Quick Action

The train driver who halted the service at Huntingdon was reported as being “very shaken” but “good”, and has been commended by association representatives for doing “precisely what was needed”.

“He didn’t stop the service in the middle of two stations where it’s obviously challenging for the first responders to reach, but he carried on traveling until he got to Huntingdon, where the response was pretty much already there,” explained a union official.

Additional Information

Authorities said they got the first distress reports at 7:39 pm, and the train was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Huntingdon at 7:50 pm.

One observer recounted at first wondering if the event was a holiday joke, but quickly realized from people's expressions that it was real.

Police have stated there is nothing to indicate the incident was a terrorist incident and have requested the community to come forward with any additional information.

Rail services on the impacted line are expected to have delays until Monday, with passengers advised to defer their travel where possible.

Individuals with information that could assist the investigation are encouraged to contact police by sending a message a designated number with a case code.