NEW YORK, NY – Two teenage girls were found dead early Saturday morning on top of a subway train in Brooklyn, victims of the dangerous social media trend known as “subway surfing,” authorities confirmed.
Zemfira Mukhtarov, 12, of Brooklyn, and Ebba Morina, 13, of Manhattan, were discovered unconscious and unresponsive on top of a Brooklyn-bound J train at the Marcy Avenue station in Williamsburg around 3:10 a.m. Both girls were pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining severe head trauma.
Police investigators believe the two girls met through social media and snuck out of their homes late Friday night for what they described as an adventure. The incident marks the fifth subway surfing death in New York City this year, highlighting the growing danger of the viral trend.
“This is heartbreaking,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow in a statement. “It is tragic that two young girls are gone because they somehow thought riding outside a subway train was an acceptable game.”
Subway surfing involves riding on top of or on the outside of moving subway trains, often while filming the dangerous stunt for social media platforms. The trend has gained popularity among young people seeking viral fame, despite repeated warnings from authorities about the fatal risks.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has intensified efforts to combat the deadly trend, including increased surveillance and public awareness campaigns. However, officials say the accessibility of subway platforms and the influence of social media continue to make prevention challenging.
Family members described both girls as vibrant young people “full of life, and taken from us far too soon.” School officials confirmed both teens were students in the New York City public school system.
The incident has prompted renewed calls from city officials and transit leaders for social media platforms to remove subway surfing content and for parents to monitor their children’s online activities more closely.
The NYPD continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Transit officials are also reviewing security footage from the station to better understand how the incident occurred.
