According to the footage, a crowd had gathered along the railway to take photos and film as the train passed through. One young woman was sitting extremely close to the tracks, holding up her phone to record the approaching train when it made contact, sending the device flying.

Speaking to VietNamNet, a commander of Road Traffic Police Team No. 4 under the Hanoi Police Department's Traffic Police Division said officers were assigned to verify the incident as soon as the footage was reported on social media.

"Initial findings indicate that the incident occurred in Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam Ward. However, we have not yet determined when it happened," the commander said.

The official added that a review conducted with Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam Ward Police found no recorded railway accidents in the area over the past week.

Authorities are continuing to work with Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam Ward Police to verify the incident. A task force will also be sent to the scene this afternoon to deal with violations involving the railway safety corridor.

Dinh Hieu