Lucrezia Ciotti A serious accident occurred in France at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel , where a minibus collided with a shuttle train, injuring 19 people. The impact required emergency services and caused temporary disruption to traffic, with the cancellation of two Eurostar services.
France: Minibus collides with shuttle train in the Channel Tunnel, injuring 19.
Inaugurated in 1994, the Channel Tunnel represents a strategic undersea rail link between France and England . The structure allows for the transit of both Eurostar passenger trains and shuttles carrying vehicles and heavy goods vehicles between the two countries. Its importance for international connections is confirmed by the numbers: last year, 3,4 million vehicles passed through the tunnel, in addition to the millions of travelers who used passenger rail services.
An accident occurred on Thursday in Coquelles, in the French department of Pas-de-Calais, near Calais, at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel. As reported by EuroNews , a minibus carrying truck and heavy goods vehicle drivers headed to the shuttle boarding area collided sideways with a shuttle train carrying vehicles between France and the United Kingdom.
According to initial reports from authorities, the vehicle lost its trajectory before hitting the convoy. All 19 people on board the minibus, including the driver, were injured: two reportedly suffered serious injuries , while 17 others suffered minor injuries. However, none of their injuries are thought to be life-threatening.
The emergency required the intervention of approximately 200 rescuers and operators, including personnel from the Mobile Emergency and Resuscitation Service (SMUR), who also arrived by helicopter, and border police officers. The people involved are of various nationalities, and, as reported by Agathe Cury, a local administration official, their respective consulates have been notified . Meanwhile, authorities have launched an investigation to clarify the cause of the collision, which is still being ascertained.
A Channel Tunnel accident has suspended traffic for 90 minutes, with two Eurostar trains cancelled.
The collision temporarily disrupted the movement of trains carrying cars, buses, and trucks through the Channel Tunnel. Services were halted for approximately 90 minutes, before gradually resuming late Thursday evening . Some rail services were also affected: as reported by broadcaster TF1, Eurostar announced the cancellation of the last two trains departing from Paris Gare du Nord and London St Pancras. Passenger and freight services, according to reports, were not directly affected by the accident.