France's national railway company SNCF said on Friday that high-speed trains across the country were affected by several “malicious acts”, causing major disruptions on the day of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris.
The French railway company described the incidents as a series of coordinated events that occurred overnight, affecting travel to and from London via the Channel Tunnel, as well as to Belgium and across western, northern and eastern France, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Government officials spoke about the situation hours before the start of the Olympics, although there was no direct link between the incident and the Games. National police have launched an investigation into the incident, with French media reporting that a fire broke out on a busy western road.
Transport Minister Patrice Vergret took to social media to condemn the “criminal incidents”, saying SNCF was working to restore service. Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera expressed concern about the impact on travellers and athletes, stressing efforts to ensure the transport of Olympic delegations.
“Playing against games is playing against France, against your camp, against your country,” Oudea Castera told BFM TV, without identifying the perpetrators.
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez has announced plans to deploy extra officers to busy train stations in response to the SNCF incidents.
At London's St Pancras station, Eurostar passengers were told there could be delays of up to an hour due to problems with overhead power supplies, adding to the transport challenges on this landmark day in France.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian news agency reported that several Eurostar trains were cancelled and others delayed due to “coordinated malicious acts” affecting the train line between Paris and Lille in France, citing the railway company.
