The Brussels local transport company MIVB has confirmed the incident that happened as a train was about the stop at the platform. The images come from a security camera.

The train driver managed to stop just in time. Members of the public on the platform rushed to the woman’s assistance.

“The driver put on the brakes when he saw the woman on the track and stopped in time” says An Van hamme of the MIVB.

The perpetrator was not wearing the mandatory mask and was easy to identify. A 23-year-old Frenchman has been arrested and faces charges of attempted manslaughter. Prosecutors are investigating what exactly happened and hope to establish a motive and whether victim and perpetrator were known to each other, which is thought unlikely. The suspect is not believed to possess an address in Belgium. He has form in France. The victim is a 55-year-old woman.

Sarah Durant of the prosecutor's office described the driver stopping the train in time as an 'heroic deed'. Driver and victim were taken to hospital but both soon discharged.

The perpetrator fled the scene by crossing the track. His picture was disseminated and he could be arrested at the De Brouckère station within minutes.

The incident halted metro between Elisabeth and Kunst-Wet till 8:15PM.