A major industrial accident occurred Thursday evening at the Eurotunnel terminal in northern France, leaving 19 people injured following a collision between a minibus and a shuttle train. Local authorities were alerted to the incident at the Coquelles site shortly after 10:00 PM, triggering a significant emergency response.
According to a statement released by the Pas-de-Calais prefecture on X, the accident took place directly on the loading platform as the minibus was transporting a group of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers preparing to board a Le Shuttle train. Preliminary reports from French broadcaster TF1 indicate that the minibus struck the side of the departing shuttle for reasons that currently remain under investigation. Officials confirmed that while the collision caused substantial damage to the transport vehicle, the minibus did not overturn, which likely prevented a more catastrophic outcome.
The victims, all of whom are men of various nationalities, were HGV drivers waiting to cross the Channel. The minibus was being operated by a Eurotunnel employee at the time of the impact.
Emergency services, including fire crews, police officers, and medical teams, were immediately deployed to the scene to provide triage and support. Helicopters were also dispatched as a precaution. Despite the initial alarm, authorities confirmed that none of the 19 injured individuals are suffering from life-threatening conditions. Most of the victims were treated on-site or transported to nearby hospitals for observation and care for minor injuries.
Agathe Cury, the sub-prefect of Calais, arrived at the site to oversee the coordination of the emergency response. She described the event as unprecedented, noting that it was the first time an accident of this nature had occurred on a Eurotunnel loading platform. “A judicial investigation has been formally opened to determine the exact circumstances and potential mechanical or human factors involved in this collision,” Cury stated.
Despite the heavy presence of emergency personnel and the ongoing investigation, the flow of traffic through the Channel Tunnel remained operational throughout the night. Eurotunnel management confirmed that the accident occurred in a restricted loading area, allowing standard operations for passenger and freight services to continue with only localized delays.
The incident highlights the complex logistics inherent in managing the high-traffic Eurotunnel site, where thousands of transit workers and freight drivers interact daily. As the investigation proceeds, safety experts are expected to review protocols at the loading platforms to determine how such a collision, described as a “rare” occurrence by local officials, could have been avoided.
For now, focus remains on the recovery of the injured drivers, while rail and road traffic continues to transit under the English Channel as scheduled. Further updates are expected following the initial findings of the judicial inquiry.
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