French rail network operator SNCF has reported a series of deliberate acts of sabotage targeting its network in multiple locations overnight. These incidents coincided with the first day of the Olympic Games.
According to BFMTV SNCF issued a communiqué detailing the extent of the “several simultaneous malicious acts” that occurred during the night of 26 July. The damage affected three high-speed lines, including the routes towards the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the northern and eastern lines.
“There were intentional fires set to damage our equipment… The south-eastern line was not affected, as the malicious actions were prevented,” the company stated. Specialists have been dispatched to assess the full extent of the damage.
Initially, the western line reported issues in the morning, resulting in hundreds of passengers being stranded at Montparnasse station. Eventually, two trains departed with delays of several hours.
Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the Minister of Sports and a key government official responsible for the Olympics, described the overnight events on the railway as a coordinated act of sabotage. She condemned the actions “in the strongest terms.”
France’s state-owned SNCF company has advised rail passengers to postpone their trips if possible. Travellers are being urged “not to go to the station,” as only the Atlantique, Nord, and Est lines of the TGV network are affected.
The Atlantique line runs from Paris to Bordeaux, the Nord line from Paris to Lille, and the Est line from Paris to Strasbourg. SNCF has announced that tickets for these disrupted journeys can be exchanged or refunded.
In a social media post, SNCF reiterated, “Following this massive attack aimed at paralysing the high-speed line network, a large number of trains have been diverted or cancelled.”
⚠️Suite à cette attaque massive visant à paralyser le réseau des lignes à grande vitesse, un grand nombre de trains sont détournés ou supprimés. Les voyageurs concernés seront contactés par mail ou SMS. Nous demandons à tous les voyageurs qui le peuvent de reporter leur voyage et… https://t.co/yt5cCtHSqW
— SNCF Voyageurs (@SNCFVoyageurs) July 26, 2024
800,000 Travellers Affected, Says SNCF President
The president of the SNCF group addressed the French news outlet BFMTV, providing an update on the scope of the disruption. He revealed that 800,000 customers have been affected by the deliberate sabotage of the railway network.
He assured the public that the network had been adequately prepared for the influx of visitors and the increased demands of the Olympics. However, the unforeseen acts of sabotage have necessitated an urgent response.
The president stated that SNCF is now focusing on mobilising hundreds of personnel to expedite repairs and restore normal service as quickly as possible.
The Olympic Games officially commenced in Paris today, on 26 July. Residents of the French capital are bracing for numerous inconveniences, including the closure of several central streets, potential blockages on the Paris ring road, and hundreds of restaurants in the centre having to dismantle their terraces.
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