Tragic irony of the Swiss couple who travelled the world for five years only to be hit by a train and killed just metres from their home

A couple who spent five years travelling the world together died just two days after returning home when they were hit by a train metres from their apartment.
Daniela Weiss and partner Daniel Oelter, both 38, had journeyed across some of the planet's most dangerous areas in a marathon tour that took them through Asia, the Middle East and South America.
But they were killed when they were struck by a train as they crossed a rail track near their home in Granichen, Switzerland, at around 9.20pm on Wednesday evening.

Daniel Oelter and Daniela Weiss, both 38, pictured during their five year world trip

The couple were seen embracing shortly before they were hit by a train travelling around 70 kph.
Daniel was killed instantly, while Daniela was taken to hospital in Aarau but died the following morning.
Daniela's mum, Margrit Weiss, 70, said: 'I knew they were off travelling in many places where there was danger. I always knew something could happen. I worried every day. It was only when they got back that I stopped worrying - I never dreamed this could happen outside my front door.
‘At 1.30 in the morning I heard a knock at the door. I thought Daniela had forgotten her keys. But when I opened it the police were there.

‘When the police told me what had happened my throat just seized up. I thought I could not breathe.  Daniela is our only child.
‘Daniela was the best daughter you could wish for and Daniel was a great boyfriend to her. They were just great together.
‘It was so good to see my daughter again and have her home - but she died at the place which should have been the safest in the world,’ she added.
Daniela had decided to come back to Switzerland as she had problems with her teeth and needed treatment.
The glove trotting couple met and fell in love at 2005. They worked in Switzerland and shared their passion for travel - and eventually they decide to give up work - sell all they had and set off on their travels.

The couple had visited Asia, the Middle East and South America together before returning home where they were killed just days later

Margit said: ‘He was a great man. They were both just so good together. Daniela was very caring. She would always phone home and tell us about the wonderful experiences she was having. I was very happy for them both.
‘In March Daniela started having problems with her tooth. It got infected and she could not eat. She waited a while, but it didn’t get better. So they both decided they would return to Switzerland for treatment.
‘It was such a good feeling to see my daughter again. Finally my daughter was back. She was happy too, happy to finally be in safe hands, to be able to eat and sleep and get her treatment.
‘On her final day she went out for a walk with Daniel and came back around two hours later. She loved being outdoors.  I then went with my daughter to buy a TV and then we went for another walk.

'Whilst we were out her boyfriend called and said he had maybe found a job for her. We had dinner together. I then went to bed. Daniela said good night and I said goodbye and she went off for a walk with Daniel for some fresh air.’
But she never saw the couple again.
A witness who saw the accident has claimed the pair were having a discussion shortly before they died and that they were seen cuddling by the tracks.
Daniela’s mother Margit said: ‘They were not deliberately standing on the tracks. They were excited about their future in Switzerland. She had taken her walking sticks with her, they were just out for a walk.
'The pair were probably discussing Daniela’s new job. Perhaps they were distracted as they would normally have used the underpass.’
For Margit her world too ended under the wheels of the train.
She said: ‘Losing your child is the worst thing that can happen to anyone. You just do not imagine it can happen to you - just when we thought we had our child back and had even felt we had gained a son - we lost them both her forever.’