Bus hits train stopped on French side of Channel Tunnel, with 19 injured

A bus collided with a stationary freight train near the French entrance to the Channel Tunnel, resulting in injuries to the driver and 18 passengers, according to French authorities. The bus, which was transporting lorry drivers scheduled to use a shuttle rail service, struck the train at the loading platform in Coquelles, a location near Calais.

Two individuals sustained severe injuries and were airlifted to safety, though no life appeared to be in immediate danger, stated local official Agathe Cury. Eurostar passenger and freight traffic through the tunnel remained unaffected, aside from a brief stoppage to evacuate the injured, which occurred at 19:27 local time (17:27 GMT).

The individuals involved in the crash were all males of various nationalities, she added. Photos from La Voix du Nord showed the damaged bus alongside the train, surrounded by emergency personnel. Eurostar issued a statement confirming that the incident occurred several kilometers away from the Channel Tunnel and did not impact their own trains running between London and other destinations. All Eurostar trains were reported to be operating as scheduled.