A bus collided with a freight train in the Channel Tunnel, near the entrance to French soil, leaving 19 injured. The bus, which was supposed to transport passengers to Britain, collided with the train on the loading platform in Coquelles on Thursday. The incident occurred while the bus driver and one passenger were seriously injured and were immediately airlifted to the hospital.
Details of the Incident and Condition of the Injured
According to local authorities, no fatalities are expected from this incident. Agathe Coudray, the local governor of Calais, stated that apart from a brief stop to evacuate the injured, the flow of Eurostar and freight train passengers through the tunnel has not been disrupted. She also added: "This is the first time such an incident has occurred at the Eurotunnel loading platform."
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The governor of Calais further referenced media reports, stating: "For reasons that are still unclear, the bus collided with a moving train." This incident specifically involved a bus transporting staff to board the "Le Shuttle" train. All passengers on the bus were men of various nationalities.
Reactions and Consequences
Ivan Davis, a journalist who was passing through the Eurotunnel towards Calais at the time of the incident, reported seeing emergency vehicles with flashing blue lights at one of the platforms. He noted that despite the collision, the flow of vehicles and their entry had not been halted. According to him, many vehicles were queued, with some in the process of entering the tunnel.
Images published by the local French newspaper La Voix du Nord show a bus with damaged front and side sections, positioned next to a train amid rescue forces. Eurostar announced in a statement that "the incident occurred a few kilometers from the Channel Tunnel and has no connection to Eurostar trains operating between London and vice versa. All Eurostar trains will continue to operate as scheduled."
The Eurotunnel connects England and France under the sea, running from Folkestone in Kent, England, to Coquelles in France. Three different rail services operate through this tunnel: Eurostar, a passenger train that starts in London and goes to several European destinations, freight trains that carry goods, and Le Shuttle, which carries personal vehicles.
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