Three deaths at Loughborough Junction: what happened?

The bodies of three men in their 20s were found outside Loughborough Junction station in south London this morning.

The incident is thought to have happened at around 5am, but British Transport Police were not called to the scene until the morning rush hour at 7.30am, after a driver saw bodies on the tracks while operating an early morning service, The Guardian reports.

How did they die?

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Superintendent Matthew Allingham said all three were declared dead at the scene. “It is believed that they died earlier in the morning and that their injuries are consistent with having been hit by a train,” he said.

Who were the victims?

One of the men killed has been identified and his parents informed, Allingham added.

“Officers have delivered the sad news to one family, as we believe one of the men was their son. We are still working to identify and locate the next of kin for the other two men. All three men are believed to be in their 20s,” he said.

Why were they there?

Early reports from rail industry sources suggest spray-paint cans were found near the bodies of the three men.

An investigation has begun to identify the men and the reason why they were on the tracks, and Sky News reports that officers were seen taking photographs of graffiti as part of their inquiries, adding that the area “is popular with graffiti artists”.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “My heart goes out to the families of the three people killed at Loughborough Junction station this morning.

“We are in close contact with the British Transport Police who are urgently investigating this incident.”