Coastal tram collision seriously injures 87-year-old man in Blankenberge

Updated 17 August 2026 — publication time not provided.

An 87-year-old man was seriously injured when a coastal tram struck him in Blankenberge on Monday, 17 August, Het Nieuwsblad reported. The newspaper identified the victim’s age and described his injuries as serious, but the information available at publication did not establish the precise time or location of the collision.

No publicly accessible statement from the Blankenberge–Zuienkerke police zone or Flemish public-transport operator De Lijn had independently confirmed the circumstances by the time of this update. It therefore remains unclear how the collision occurred, whether the man was taken to hospital, whether anyone aboard the tram was hurt, or whether investigators have identified any contributing factor.

The available reporting also does not establish whether tram traffic was interrupted. Passengers should consult De Lijn’s journey planner or application for current service information rather than assume that delays remain in place. De Lijn says its application provides real-time vehicle and route updates.

The collision concerns one of the defining transport links along the Belgian coast. Blankenberge’s tourism service says the De Lijn route connects Knokke-Heist with De Panne and serves five stops in Blankenberge: Maritieme Zone, Markt, Station, Pier and Duinse Polders. That local layout brings trams into close contact with pedestrians, cyclists and road traffic across a busy seaside municipality.

De Lijn separately says it carried out track and infrastructure improvements along the coastal route during spring 2026, including work intended to provide safer rails and more accessible stops. Nothing published so far connects those works, the condition of the infrastructure or any individual road user’s conduct to Monday’s collision.

For the victim and his family, the immediate concern is his medical condition. For investigators, the next steps are to determine where he entered the tram’s path, examine available camera footage and witness accounts, and establish the tram’s movements before impact. Belgium Pulse will update this report if police, prosecutors, De Lijn or medical authorities release verified information about his condition, the cause of the collision or disruption to services.