In brief
At 19:27 local time a small bus carrying lorry drivers collided with a freight train that was parked on a loading platform at the French side of the Channel Tunnel in Coquelles near Calais. The impact left 19 people wounded – the driver and 18 passengers – two of whom required evacuation by helicopter. French officials said freight and Eurostar passenger services were only briefly halted, and all trains have since resumed normal schedules. Eurostar confirmed the incident did not affect its cross‑Channel operations. The crash highlights the ongoing safety monitoring required for the critical rail link between Britain and mainland Europe.
A bus carrying truck drivers near Calais struck a stationary freight train that was parked on a loading platform of the Channel Tunnel on the French side, injuring the driver and 18 passengers, French authorities said at 19:27 local time.
The bus was en route to take a shuttle rail service into the tunnel when the collision occurred. Although the train was not moving, the impact left the front and side of the vehicle damaged.
Two passengers were seriously injured and carried away by helicopter, but officials reported that none of the 19 injured were in immediate danger.
Local sub‑prefect Agathe Cury said freight and Eurostar passenger traffic through the tunnel was not disrupted by the incident, aside from a brief stop to allow the injured to be evacuated. All Eurostar services have resumed normal schedules.
Eurostar issued a statement saying: "An incident occurred several kilometres away from the Channel Tunnel. This incident does not involve or impact Eurostar trains running from and to London. All Eurostar trains will run as expected."
The crash adds to ongoing discussions about the coordination of road and rail traffic near the tunnel entrance, a vital artery that links Britain with continental Europe.
