2 Trains Carrying Olympics Athletes Stop En Route To Paris As Arsonists Hit France Rail Routes

Arson attacks disrupted France’s high-speed rail network on Friday, affecting tens of thousands of passengers just hours before the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

Officials described the attacks as premeditated acts of “sabotage” came as the French capital was under heavy security. The ceremony is set to host 300,000 spectators and numerous VIPs.

Weekend Rail Travel Improves But Remains Disrupted: Operator

Rail traffic in France is expected to improve over the weekend, but cancellations and delays will continue following arson attacks on the high-speed network just hours before the Olympics opening ceremony, according to the national rail operator SNCF.

The SNCF further assured that “all participants and individuals accredited” for the Games will be guaranteed travel to their destinations.

The operator stated that two out of three high-speed trains linking Paris with western and southwestern France will depart as scheduled, while 80 percent of high-speed trains in northern France will also run.

UK PM Change Olympics Travel Plan After Rail Disruptions

Two of the four trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique high-speed line were stopped hours before the opening ceremony, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT), due to coordinated sabotage on the tracks, an official from the French railway operator SNCF said Friday.

Additionally, two German showjumping athletes, Philipp Weishaupt and Christian Kukuk, had to turn back in Belgium due to the train closures while traveling to Paris for the opening ceremony, German news agency dpa reported.

Two Trains Carrying Athletes To Paris Olympics Were Stopped

Two of the four trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique high-speed line were stopped hours before the opening ceremony, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT), due to coordinated sabotage on the tracks, an official from the French railway operator SNCF said Friday.

Additionally, two German showjumping athletes, Philipp Weishaupt and Christian Kukuk, had to turn back in Belgium due to the train closures while traveling to Paris for the opening ceremony, German news agency dpa reported.

Incendiary Device Found On French High-Speed Line In May

Prosecutors in southern French city Marseille since May have been investigating an incendiary device found on a high-speed train line, sources familiar with the case told news agency AFP Friday. The device was discovered on May 8, the same day the Olympic flame arrived in the Mediterranean port city.

Train Sabotage Won’t Impact Olympics Opening: Paris Mayor

The arson attacks on the rail networks will have “no impact on the ceremony” opening the Paris Olympics, the city’s Mayor Anne Hidalgo said.

Describing the sabotage as “unacceptable,” Hidalgo assured reporters that it “has no effect on the transport network” in the French capital.

One In Four Eurostar Trains Cancelled

Around 25 percent of trains on the Eurostar network, which includes routes between Paris and London, were cancelled on Friday following massive sabotage against the French high-speed rail system.

“This will also be the case” on Saturday and Sunday, Eurostar said in a statement. In addition to the cancellations, Eurostar trains departing from and arriving in Paris will operate on regular lines instead of high-speed routes.

Airport Briefly Evacuated After Bomb Threat

A Franco-Swiss airport near Basel, was briefly evacuated for ‘security reasons’ hours after arson attacks disrupted the French rail network.

EuroAirport later announced on its website that it had reopened and that flight operations were gradually resuming. Earlier, Basel-Mulhouse airport had also been evacuated and closed “for safety reasons.”

The evacuation came as French authorities searched for those responsible for the arson attacks on the train network, which had severely impacted travel for hundreds of thousands of people.

Clear Objective To Block Trains Ahead Of Games: French PM

In response to the attacks, outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that the sabotage targeting key parts of France’s high-speed rail network appeared to have “a clear objective: blocking the high speed train network.”

Attal stated that the vandals had strategically targeted main routes from the north, east, and west towards Paris, just hours before the city’s Olympics opening ceremony. He further warned of “massive consequences,” including significant disruptions for “hundreds of thousands” of people traveling to Paris for the Games or vacations.

‘Calculated And Coordinated Attack’

SNCF, France’s national rail company, reported that key rail intersections were targeted to maximize the impact.

CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou described the attacks as “premeditated, calculated, coordinated attack,” suggesting a deliberate intent to “seriously harm” the French people.

Olympic Spirit To Counter War And Foster Peace: Pope Francis

In a social media post on ‘X’, Pope Francis on Friday shared, “The authentic Olympic and Paralympic spirit is an antidote against the tragedy of war and a way to put an end to violence. May sport build bridges, break down barriers, and foster peaceful relations. #OlympicTruce #Paris2024.”

Who Are The Culprits?

According to SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou, railway workers conducting night maintenance in central France noticed unauthorised individuals who fled when the workers alerted the police.

France’s intelligence services were scrambling to determine the perpetrators of the sabotage, a security source told news agency AFP. The method of arson used in the attacks resembled tactics previously employed by extreme-left groups, the source added.

In September, arson attacks on conduits carrying railway cables caused significant travel disruption in northern Germany, with responsibility claimed on an extreme-left website.

Prosecutors Launch Probe 

Paris prosecutors have launched an investigation into a suspected attempt to undermine “fundamental national interests,” according to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.

The probe will also examine potential damage caused by an organised group and attacks on automated data processing systems. The charge of “damage to property likely to harm fundamental national interests” carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

French officials condemned the attacks as “criminal actions” but stated there was no direct link to the Olympics.

(With inputs from agencies)