Nineteen people were hurt on Thursday evening when a minibus collided with a freight train on the French side of the Channel Tunnel. The crash happened right at the loading platform near Calais, triggering a massive emergency response involving dozens of firefighters and medical teams.
Local authorities confirmed the incident occurred at around 7:00 PM local time. A minibus carrying heavy goods vehicle drivers preparing to board Le Shuttle struck a stationary train. According to Calais sub-prefect Agathe Cury, the vehicle hit the shuttle as it was setting off, though the exact cause remains under investigation. A judicial inquiry has been opened to determine how the crash happened on the secure terminal site.
Emergency services swarmed the Eurotunnel facility immediately. Fifty-five firefighters, twenty-five emergency medical personnel, twenty border police officers, and roughly one hundred Eurotunnel staff responded to the scene. A mobile intensive care unit helicopter also landed at the terminal to assist the wounded.
Out of the nineteen people injured, initial reports suggested several were in critical condition, though officials quickly clarified that no lives are in danger. The bus driver is among those hurt. Authorities noted that this is the first time an accident of this specific nature has occurred at the loading terminals.
Passengers wondering about cross-channel travel disruptions can breathe a sigh of relief. Eurostar confirmed that its passenger services between Paris and London were completely unaffected by the accident. While the last two Eurostar trains of the evening were cancelled, the company verified that this was due to pre-planned engineering works rather than the collision itself.
Operations at the terminal faced temporary pauses as first responders cleared the area and tended to the injured drivers. Investigators are currently reviewing site footage and interviewing witnesses to piece together the events leading up to the impact. Further updates from the local prefecture are expected as the judicial investigation progresses.
