Via Rail passenger says people were stranded without food, water [Video]

A tourist visiting Canada is questioning the safety of Via Rail after he says his phone was snatched from him by an employee when he was documenting a train delay that left passengers stranded as they ran out of food, water and working toilets.

Canada’s transport minister has now asked Via Rail to provide an independent report, improve training and review procedures following the train delay over the weekend.

Chip Malt was in Quebec over the long weekend to celebrate his father’s 70th birthday in the province’s capital, and said he boarded a Via Rail train from Montreal to Quebec City on Saturday.

But the expected three-hour ride ended up being a nearly 14-hour journey after passengers were stranded for 10 hours in the “middle of nowhere” following two train breakdowns, said Malt.

He said people were trying to find train exits and were calling Ubers, taxis and car services …