Two youths from Czechia in 'critical condition' after subway stunt goes wrong

Two teenagers living in Czechia are fighting for their lives in an Austrian hospital after they were seriously injured while "metro-surfing" on the roof of a Vienna subway train on Tuesday.

The 17- and 18-year-old youths attempted the dangerous stunt, riding on the roof of carriages as they arrived at Schönbrunn station in the capital. However, their thrill ride ended tragically when they crashed into an overpass, leaving them with severe injuries.

The Czechs were accompanied by two Austrian teens, who were able to avoid the collision, Austrian news outlet Exxpress.at reports.

According to eyewitnesses, the teens were filming themselves with their mobile phones until they were suddenly surprised by a pedestrian bridge. A video taken by one of the boys captures the last seconds before the accident, showing them narrowly avoiding a catastrophe at the first underpass.

"We urgently appeal to people to refrain from such reckless and life-threatening actions. No TikTok video, no test of courage, or no selfie in the world is worth climbing onto a subway or tram and risking your life," said a spokeswoman for Wiener Linien, the Vienna public transportation system. Both teens remain in a "critical condition" at the Meidling Accident Hospital.

The incident has shocked the entire country, with authorities warning against the dangers of metro-surfing.