In an unfortunate incident, a taxi driver and two equines tragically perished following a head-on collision.
On a federal highway in Lower Saxony, a taxi hit two roaming horses. The driver and the horses both met their end, with regrettably late assistance. Was a wolf driving the horses away?
The taxi and the two stray horses collided on Bundesstraße 73 in Stade, resulting in fatalities for both the driver and the horses, as reported by police. The driver was taken to the hospital but passed away due to his injuries. The horses, sadly, died at the scene. The taxi's 31-year-old passenger, heading from Hamburg to Cuxhaven, walked away slightly injured.
The police got word of free-roaming horses in the city area just before the accident, prompting an alert. Minutes later, they received reports of a serious car accident on the B73. Emergency services, police, and fire department converged on the scene, aiding response efforts with a large number of personnel. The trapped driver required extraction using heavy machinery, after which they were resuscitated but later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
Wolves spotted in Stade district as recent as September 23
The cause behind the horses' escape remains unclear, as stated by the police spokesperson to RTL. The startle of the horses seems to be the probable cause judging from the evidence at the scene. However, what instilled such intense fear in the horses remained elusive from the spokesperson.
As per RTL reports, wolves have been spotted frequently in the district of Stade. They have even attacked cows on past occasions. The Lower Saxony State Hunting Association reiterated a recent sighting of wolves was on September 23. Since then, there has been no trace or recording of such wildlife cams.
While it's merely speculative, a wolf could have driven away the horses, according to State Hunting Association. Despite their size, horses could potentially become prey for wolves. However, selecting such a large target is rather uncommon for wolves.
Despite the possibility of wolves in the area, there wasn't enough evidence to suggest that they drove the horses away, as the State Hunting Association pointed out. Regrettably, the road accidents resulted in tragic fatalities for the driver and the horses.
