Nineteen individuals were injured on Thursday when a minibus carrying truck drivers collided with a train at the French entrance to the Channel Tunnel, near Calais. This incident led to a brief suspension of vehicle shuttle services for 90 minutes.
According to French authorities, two people sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were hospitalized, while the remaining 17 suffered minor injuries. Among the injured was the driver of the minibus.
Emergency responders, numbering about 200, quickly arrived at the scene. Authorities stated that the collision occurred when the minibus veered off course and struck the side of the shuttle train. Fortunately, Eurostar passenger trains and freight services were not affected by the incident.
The affected individuals hailed from various nationalities, and their respective consulates have been informed, though specific nationalities were not disclosed. All injured victims were men and were passengers in the minibus.
The cause of the crash remains unclear, with an investigation currently underway. Local official Agathe Cury mentioned that this incident marked the first reported crash at the loading area of the Channel Tunnel trains.
The Channel Tunnel, which opened in 1994, is a vital transport link, having facilitated the movement of 3.4 million vehicles last year along with millions of Eurostar passengers.
