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.

Chip Malt was in Quebec over the long weekend to celebrate his fatherB次元官网网址檚 70th birthday in the provinceB次元官网网址檚 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 B次元官网网址渕iddle of nowhereB次元官网网址� following two train breakdowns, said Malt.

He said people were trying to find train exits and were calling Ubers, taxis and car services to get them out but they were so secluded they B次元官网网址渨ere without options.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my first experience on Via Rail, and will probably be my last experience on Via Rail,B次元官网网址� he said Monday in an interview from his home in Austin, Texas.

B次元官网网址淚t was like being in prison.B次元官网网址�

On Sunday Via Rail issued a statement apologizing for the B次元官网网址渋nconvenienceB次元官网网址� to passengers. It confirmed they were stuck for 10 hours on Saturday when a train broke down between Montreal and Quebec City after experiencing two consecutive mechanical issues.

The company said no buses were available in the region to offer alternative transportation. Electricity, air conditioning and washrooms were shut down at times to allow for repairs and coupling with another train, the company said.

B次元官网网址淲e are committed to providing exceptional customer service and ensuring that all passengers are treated with respect and dignity,B次元官网网址� the company said.

Malt said snacks were delivered one hour and three hours into the train delay, but they eventually ran out of food and water.

B次元官网网址淭hey came around with a jug of water and theyB次元官网网址檙e like B次元官网网址業s anyone dehydrated? This is the last of our water.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

At that point the washroom also broke, he said.

Around the eight-hour mark people were standing to stretch their legs, including Malt, who said he was giving his wife space because she was forced to do a scheduled job interview on the train.

Malt said thatB次元官网网址檚 when an employee B次元官网网址渂arged inB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址減ushed a woman into the wallB次元官网网址� as he went by demanding people to take their seats.

B次元官网网址淗e started screaming at this lady and thatB次元官网网址檚 when people started to film, including myself, and I was standing right next to him,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎s soon as he saw that I was filming he leaned over and snatched my phone.B次元官网网址�

Via Rail said it is investigating the exchange, and appropriate measures will be taken following a review.

With water gone, Malt said staff gave people beer and vodka. He said staff also tried to get passengers to participate in yoga breaths to get them to relax, which ended up frustrating the passengers.

At one point some of the passengers, including Malt, considered breaking windows to escape. But he said they were surrounded by a construction zone so even if they did get off the train they would have had to scale fences and cross concrete and tar just to get to a side of a highway, he said.

Malt said staff provided no information about why the train broke down or who was coming to help, and he said they kept repeating the same statement that they had B次元官网网址渘o further information at this time.B次元官网网址�

In a statement Monday, Via Rail vehemently denied giving people alcohol. It also insisted it provided updates every 30 minutes to passengers B次元官网网址渆ven if the update was only to let people know there was no change to the situation or that the repairs continued.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭his is unfortunately often perceived as B次元官网网址榥o updates,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� the company said Monday.

Via Rail eventually positioned another passenger train next to theirs on a parallel track. The fire department was called in to help passengers leap from one train to the other, Malt said, and pizza was brought in.

But because the second train had passengers on it, many people had to stand as the train finally reached Quebec City.

Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez promised on Sunday to get to the bottom of the delay, saying he would be meeting with Via Rail leadership this week. He also posted on X that B次元官网网址減assengers deserve better.B次元官网网址�

Malt said his American family eventually got to celebrate his dadB次元官网网址檚 70th birthday, and that Quebec City lives up to the hype.

But he noted many of the passengers on the train pointed out it was brand new, and he questions their safety based on his experience.

He also said the company is supposed to be trained to deal with delays, but it was the staff who was B次元官网网址渁ggressive and causing problems.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e no longer felt safe on the train anymore,B次元官网网址� he said.