A 24-year-old man died in an accident at a railway crossing in Kliplev, Southern Jutland, on Saturday after his van collided with an InterCityLyn train. Authorities are investigating whether a stolen bell at the crossing may have contributed to the fatal incident.

The railway crossing, located on Kådnervej south of Aabenraa, did not have a boom barrier, according to police reports. The train was traveling from Copenhagen to Sønderborg with 60 passengers on board; no one on the train sustained injuries.

Banedanmark, the Danish railway infrastructure manager, had installed a new warning bell at the crossing just a day before the accident to replace one that had been stolen. This bell is designed to sound an alert when a train approaches. However, this replacement bell had also disappeared before the accident occurred, according to a Banedanmark press officer.

Police had been informed about the installation of the new bells. In recent weeks, a total of six copper bells have been reported stolen from railway crossings between Sønderborg and Tinglev.

The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the stolen bells and their potential connection to the fatal accident. Authorities are unable to confirm or deny whether the missing bell may have been a contributing factor in the collision.