Paris railway line suffered a “massive attack” and 800,000 passengers were affected before the opening of the Olympics

French railway company SNFC has reported that its high-speed network has been subjected to “acts of sabotage” aimed at paralyzing the transport system.

The attack took place hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics and focused on the TGV high-speed trains.

“Last night, SNCF was the victim of several acts of sabotage on the Atlantic, Nord and Est high-speed lines. Fires were deliberately set to damage our facilities,” the company said in a statement.

According to BBC reporter Hugh Schofield, multiple fires broke out at three locations along the route to the west, north and east of Paris.

As a result, many trains were cancelled and long queues appeared at Paris Montparnasse train station.

About 800,000 passengers were affected Regarding this incident, the president of SNCF Group spoke to the French media.

The railway company said the situation was likely to continue “at least through the weekend until repairs can be carried out”.

A fourth arson attack on a route south to Lyon and the Mediterranean was thwarted, Schofield reported. No one had claimed responsibility, he added, “but it’s hard not to see a connection to the Olympics.”

AFP reported that a source close to the investigation described the arson attack as an act of “sabotage”. They were “clearly coordinated”.

It was expected to be a busy day at Paris station, with tourists arriving in one direction for the opening ceremony of the Olympics and in the other direction many Parisians leaving to start their summer vacation.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said the “acts of sabotage at SNCF facilities were prepared and coordinated” and Impact ‘huge and severe’”, according to a message he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

He added that French security forces were searching for those responsible for the sabotage.

French Transport Minister Patrice Veglit strongly condemned these “criminal acts”.

“This will last all weekend because it will take a long time to repair… Today is a sad day,” said SNCF general manager Jean-Pierre Farandou.

He also wanted to appease the French by saying that they were Thousands of people mobilized to repair the networkhelping to direct those who need assistance at train stations and helping people get around whenever possible.

Farandu said the attackers “A pipe carrying multiple cables According to AFP, the “(optical fiber)” transmitted “driver safety information” and detailed the meticulous level of repair work being done in the affected areas.

“There were a lot of wires tied up. We had to Repair one by one“It’s a manual operation that requires hundreds of workers,” he said.

Paris 2024, the organisers of this year’s Olympics, said they were “assessing the situation” after damage to France’s high-speed rail network.

Regarding this incident, the President International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach said he had “full confidence in the French authorities.”

He wrote on social media: “Last night there was a malicious and organized attack that affected several TGV lines and will seriously disrupt traffic until the end of the week. I strongly condemn these criminal acts, which will jeopardize the holidays of many French people.”

Vergriete thanks SNCF staff Try to restore service ASAP.

Currently, Eurostar services from France to and from Paris are being rerouted and many trains are delayed.

Trains between Paris and London continue to run on the “classic” line, but passengers will have an extra hour of travel time due to the delays.

French National Railway He asked if people travelling by train could delay their journeys and advised “don’t go to the station”.

The railway company also announced that disrupted journeys will be available for exchange and refund.

The main concourse of Paris’ Gare du Nord station was packed with hundreds of stranded passengers as they patiently awaited news about train delays following the overnight attacks, BBC reporter Andrew Harding reports.

Paris Gare Du Nord is the main hub for trains to London, Brussels and Amsterdam.

“No news. We’re just waiting to see if they’ll put us on a slower train.”a Frenchman said his train to Amsterdam was cancelled.

Groups of armed French soldiers and police could be seen patrolling the station. Numerous other trains were plying the regular network here and at nearby Gare de l’Est, which serves eastern France.

An official at Gare De L’Est, the French national railway company (SNCF), told Harding that plans were being drawn up to put high-speed TGV trains on other, slower lines, which would mean long delays and disruptions. But it will also keep the network functioning.

The overall mood seemed calm. Many Parisians left the city for the summer vacation, while French and foreign tourists arrived in Paris for the Olympics.

St Pancras International Station in central London is the starting point for trains to and from Paris. People lined up in long queues waiting.

Flights from London to Paris are still operating but passengers may experience an extra hour on their journey.

Some trains were also cancelled.

Following details of further delays and cancellations between the UK and France, Eurostar is now encouraging passengers to postpone their travel if possible.

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