19 injured in minibus-train collision at Eurotunnel Calais platform

Nineteen people were injured on Thursday evening after a minibus collided with a stationary freight train at the Eurotunnel loading platform near Calais, France. French authorities confirmed that two individuals, including the bus driver, were critically injured and airlifted to the University Hospital in Lille.

Incident Details

The collision occurred at the loading platform where lorry drivers are transported by minibus to shuttle trains for their journey through the Channel Tunnel. Pas-de-Calais underprefect Agathe Cury stated that 18 passengers and the bus driver were injured in the incident. She told reporters that the remaining 17 injured people were taken to hospitals in Helfaut, Calais, Boulogne, Montreuil-sur-Mer and Dunkirk.

According to Cury, the minibus was carrying lorry drivers bound for a shuttle train service. She noted that "for reasons currently unknown" the minibus struck the shuttle "as it was departing." Cury added: "There is no risk to anyone’s life."

Response and Inquiry

Emergency services were deployed to the scene immediately. The Pas-de-Calais prefecture said in a statement: "Significant resources were immediately deployed by Eurotunnel, and subsequently placed under the authority of the Prefect of the Pas-de-Calais department."

The prefecture confirmed that early reports suggested 19 people were involved, including the driver, and stated: "At this stage, there are no fatalities, and no one’s life is considered to be in danger." An inquiry has been launched into the causes of the incident.

Service Impact

Eurostar stated that the incident would not affect its services. In a status update, the company said: "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 of Eurostar trains will run as expected."

BBC Radio 4 presenter Evan Davis, who was traveling through the tunnel at the time, reported that the incident appeared to be contained to one platform. He observed blue lights concentrated on what he presumed to be a freight platform and noted that cars were still queueing and going through check-in despite the collision.

Why it matters

The collision resulted in significant injuries, including two critical cases, prompting an official inquiry by French authorities. While Eurostar confirmed no impact on its London services, the incident highlights operational disruptions at the Eurotunnel loading platform in Calais.

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Sources

• bbc.com: Two airlifted to hospital after bus collides with train stopped on French side of Channel Tunnel - BBC News
• theguardian.com: Nineteen injured in collision between minibus and train on Eurotunnel loading platform | France | The Guardian

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.