Husband suspected of setting wife ablaze on German tram

A man turned himself into German police on Monday after a woman travelling on a tram was set on fire in broad daylight the day before.

The suspected perpetrator, who told police he was the woman's husband, poured flammable liquid over her and ignited the fire in front of other passengers.

People on the tram pressed the emergency button, which stopped the vehicle that was travelling through Gera in the state of Thuringia, a police spokeswoman said.

The tram driver rushed to the woman's aid and extinguished the flames on her body with a fire extinguisher.

Police said the 46-year-old woman's upper body, arms and neck were on fire and she was critically injured. She was taken to hospital by helicopter.

Pictures of the scene show a charred area near two seats in the tram.

The perpetrator fled after the attack, with the police searching for him using police dogs and a helicopter.

On Monday morning, the 46-year-old man turned himself in to the police. He did not resist and was provisionally arrested, said police, who launched an investigation for attempted murder.

Special forces from the State Office of Criminal Investigation searched the man's flat in Gera.

Both the man and the victim are from Georgia. The family has several children.