Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
AFP
'Sabotage' on French rail network before Olympics: What we know
By Thibaud MORITZBenjamin BOULY RAMESTom BARFIELDValentin RAKOVSKY, Valentina BRESCHIDenis CHARLET,
1 day ago
Some 800,000 passengers were affected by the attacks on France's high-speed train network /AFP
Arson attacks scrambled France's high-speed rail network for tens of thousands of passengers on Friday, after what officials called premeditated acts of "sabotage" just hours before the Paris Olympics opened.
Friday's attacks were launched as the French capital was under heavy security ahead of the Games opening ceremony, with 300,000 spectators and an audience of VIPs expected at the event.
- What was targeted?
Fires that affected France's Atlantic, northern and eastern lines led to cancellations and delays at a time of particularly heavy traffic for summer holiday travel.
SNCF said saboteurs had started fires in conduits carrying fibre-optic cables vital for the safe operation of the trains /AFP
"Early this morning, coordinated and prepared acts of sabotage were perpetrated against installations of SNCF," the national rail operator, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said.
SNCF chief executive Jean-Pierre Farandou said the attackers had started fires in "conduits carrying multiple (fibre-optic) cables" that carry "safety information for drivers" or control the motors for points.
- Who is affected?
Around 800,000 passengers are expected to be affected over the weekend as the damage is heavy and labour-intensive to repair.
France's rail network was expected to be busy this weekend, not only due to the Olympics but also as people return from or leave for their summer holidays.
France: three high-speed rail lines hit by arson attacks /AFP
"There are huge and serious consequences for the rail network," added Attal.
Passenger services chief Christophe Fanichet said there were delays of 90 minutes to two hours on services between Paris and France's north and east.
"We ask people please not to come to the station, because if you haven't heard from us, your train won't be running," Fanichet told reporters.
One major branch of the network, the line to France's southeast, was spared.
Multiple services between Paris and London via northern France were also cancelled, the Eurostar company said, with others suffering delays as they diverted on to lines not meant for high-speed trains.
- What happens now?
Farandou of SNCF said: "There's a huge number of bundled cables. We have to repair them one by one, it's a manual operation" requiring" hundreds of workers."
SNCF chief Jean-Pierre Farandou said a 'huge number' of cables would have to be repaired 'one by one' /AFP
At Paris's Montparnasse train station, passengers were waiting for information, with display boards showing delays of more than two hours.
SNCF said there would be no trains at all from Montparnasse before 1:00 pm (1100 GMT).
"Normal traffic is expected to resume on Monday, July 29," read one of the signs in the departure hall.
Paris's RATP transport network was also operating under "increased vigilance" following the railway attacks, its chief executive Jean Castex said as he visited a control station.
- Who are the culprits?
SNCF CEO Farandou said that railway workers doing night maintenance in central France had spotted unauthorised people, who fled when the workers called in police.
France's intelligence services were scrambling to determine the perpetrators of the sabotage, a security source told AFP. The arson method used resembled past attacks by extreme-left actors, the source added.
In September, arson attacks on conduits holding railway cables caused travel chaos in northern Germany, with a claim of responsibility posted to an extreme-left website.
- What legal action is being taken?
Paris prosecutors opened a probe into a suspected bid to undermine "fundamental national interests," Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement.
The investigation will also probe suspected damage inflicted by an organised gang and attacks on an automated data processing system.
Her statement described the acts of sabotage as "deliberate damage caused to sites of SNCF on the night of July 25-26, 2024."
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0