Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The girl was hit while trying to climb back up onto a platform, police say

A 13-year-old girl was killed after she dropped her mobile phone on to New York subway tracks and was struck by a train while trying to recover it.

The girl, identified as Diana Kadribasic, died on Sunday after she was hit by an R train at the 63rd Drive-Rego Park station.

Police said the train came into the station as the girl was trying to climb back on to the platform.

She was taken to Elmhurst Hospital, where she died, police said.

Commuter Stephen Topete told ABC New York that people were crying on the platform after the incident.

After the accident, New York City Transit released a statement urging customers to alert subway staff if they drop something on to the tracks rather than trying to recover it themselves.