As the world’s attention turned to France for the Olympic Games, the event commenced under unexpected circumstances, as the country’s high-speed rail system was targeted by arson attacks.According to French police, the “acts of sabotage were prepared and coordinated,” indicating a deliberate attempt to create chaos during the event.These attacks caused significant disruptions, delaying trains and stranding athletes and spectators who were en route to the Games.French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that the objective of these attacks was to disrupt the high-speed train network that connects Paris with other parts of France and Europe, aiming to create widespread travel chaos.Two out of four trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique line were stopped, hours before the opening ceremony, affected by the coordinated sabotage on the tracks, an official from the French railway operator SNCF said Friday.Franck Dubourdieu, head of the Atlantique line, could not say which athletes were halted from travel to Paris, or whether they would make it for the ceremony.Speaking to press, Dubourdieu said that rail traffic was improving, but his line was one of the worst-hit by the vandals.“On the Atlantic coast, we operate 250 trains a day. We had four trains with athletes and two of them were able to operate,” he said. One train was canceled and authorities hope another will become operational“The impact on the opening ceremony is very, very” small, he added.Attackers struck in several spots including west of Paris, at Arrou in the Eure-et-Loir on the Atlantique line to Paris.French railway officials anticipate that these disruptions will persist throughout the weekend.Despite the unforeseen challenges and the travel chaos caused by the attacks, the opening ceremony proceeded as planned, showcasing the resilience and determination of the organizers and participants.Two out of four trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique line were stopped, hours before the opening ceremony, affected by the coordinated sabotage on the tracks, an official from the French railway operator SNCF said Friday.Franck Dubourdieu, head of the Atlantique line, could not say which athletes were halted from travel to Paris, or whether they would make it for the ceremony.Speaking to press, Dubourdieu said that rail traffic was improving, but his line was one of the worst-hit by the vandals.“On the Atlantic coast, we operate 250 trains a day. We had four trains with athletes and two of them were able to operate,” he said. One train was canceled and authorities hope another will become operational“The impact on the opening ceremony is very, very” small, he added.Attackers struck in several spots including west of Paris, at Arrou in the Eure-et-Loir on the Atlantique line to Paris. French authorities have foiled several plots to disrupt the Olympics, including arresting a Russian man on suspicion of planning to destabilize the games.The Paris police prefecture “concentrated its personnel in Parisian train stations” after the “massive attack” that paralyzed the TGV high-speed network, Laurent Nuñez, the Paris police chief, told France Info television.Also Friday, the French airport of Basel-Mulhouse on the border with Germany and Switzerland was evacuated in the morning and remained temporarily closed “for safety reasons,” the airport said. It wasn’t clear whether there was a connection to the rail attacks.The disruptions hit Paris’ Montparnasse station particularly hard.In the station’s crowded hall, Maiwenn Labbé-Sorin said she spent hours stranded on a train before it doubled back to Paris.“We stayed two hours without water, without toilets, without electricity,” she said. “Then we could go out on the track for a bit and then the train returned. Now I’m not sure what’s going to happen.”Many passengers at the Gare du Nord, one of Europe’s busiest train stations, were looking for answers and solutions on Friday morning. All eyes were on the central message boards as most services to northern France, Belgium and the United Kingdom were delayed.“They should have more information for tourists, especially if it’s a malicious attack,” said Corey Grainger, a 37-year-old Australian sales manager on his way to London, as he rested on his two suitcases in the middle of the station.Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera said authorities were working to “evaluate the impact on travelers, athletes, and ensure the transport of all delegations to the competition sites” for the Olympics. Speaking on BFM television, she added, “Playing against the Games is playing against France, against your own camp, against your country.”SNCF said it did not know when traffic would resume and feared that disruptions would continue “at least all weekend.” SNCF teams “were already on site to carry out diagnostics and begin repairs,” but the “situation should last at least all weekend while the repairs are carried out,” the operator said. SNCF advised “all passengers to postpone their journey and not to go to the station,” specifying in its press release that all tickets were exchangeable and refundable.Valerie Pecresse, president of the regional council of the greater Paris region, speaking from Montparnasse station, said “250,000 travelers will be affected today on all these lines.” Substitution plans were underway, but Pecresse advised travelers “not to go to stations.”The troubles comes ahead of an opening ceremony has been planned for later Friday, in which 7,000 Olympic athletes are due to sail down the Seine past iconic Parisian monuments such as Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, and the Musee d’Orsay.The Associated Press contributed to this report
As the world’s attention turned to France for the Olympic Games, the event commenced under unexpected circumstances, as the country’s high-speed rail system was targeted by arson attacks.
According to French police, the “acts of sabotage were prepared and coordinated,” indicating a deliberate attempt to create chaos during the event.
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These attacks caused significant disruptions, delaying trains and stranding athletes and spectators who were en route to the Games.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that the objective of these attacks was to disrupt the high-speed train network that connects Paris with other parts of France and Europe, aiming to create widespread travel chaos.
Two out of four trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique line were stopped, hours before the opening ceremony, affected by the coordinated sabotage on the tracks, an official from the French railway operator SNCF said Friday.
Franck Dubourdieu, head of the Atlantique line, could not say which athletes were halted from travel to Paris, or whether they would make it for the ceremony.
Speaking to press, Dubourdieu said that rail traffic was improving, but his line was one of the worst-hit by the vandals.
“On the Atlantic coast, we operate 250 trains a day. We had four trains with athletes and two of them were able to operate,” he said. One train was canceled and authorities hope another will become operational
“The impact on the opening ceremony is very, very” small, he added.
Attackers struck in several spots including west of Paris, at Arrou in the Eure-et-Loir on the Atlantique line to Paris.
French railway officials anticipate that these disruptions will persist throughout the weekend.
Despite the unforeseen challenges and the travel chaos caused by the attacks, the opening ceremony proceeded as planned, showcasing the resilience and determination of the organizers and participants.
Two out of four trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique line were stopped, hours before the opening ceremony, affected by the coordinated sabotage on the tracks, an official from the French railway operator SNCF said Friday.
Franck Dubourdieu, head of the Atlantique line, could not say which athletes were halted from travel to Paris, or whether they would make it for the ceremony.
Speaking to press, Dubourdieu said that rail traffic was improving, but his line was one of the worst-hit by the vandals.
“On the Atlantic coast, we operate 250 trains a day. We had four trains with athletes and two of them were able to operate,” he said. One train was canceled and authorities hope another will become operational
“The impact on the opening ceremony is very, very” small, he added.
Attackers struck in several spots including west of Paris, at Arrou in the Eure-et-Loir on the Atlantique line to Paris.
French authorities have foiled several plots to disrupt the Olympics, including arresting a Russian man on suspicion of planning to destabilize the games.
The Paris police prefecture “concentrated its personnel in Parisian train stations” after the “massive attack” that paralyzed the TGV high-speed network, Laurent Nuñez, the Paris police chief, told France Info television.
Also Friday, the French airport of Basel-Mulhouse on the border with Germany and Switzerland was evacuated in the morning and remained temporarily closed “for safety reasons,” the airport said. It wasn’t clear whether there was a connection to the rail attacks.
The disruptions hit Paris’ Montparnasse station particularly hard.
In the station’s crowded hall, Maiwenn Labbé-Sorin said she spent hours stranded on a train before it doubled back to Paris.
“We stayed two hours without water, without toilets, without electricity,” she said. “Then we could go out on the track for a bit and then the train returned. Now I’m not sure what’s going to happen.”
Many passengers at the Gare du Nord, one of Europe’s busiest train stations, were looking for answers and solutions on Friday morning. All eyes were on the central message boards as most services to northern France, Belgium and the United Kingdom were delayed.
“They should have more information for tourists, especially if it’s a malicious attack,” said Corey Grainger, a 37-year-old Australian sales manager on his way to London, as he rested on his two suitcases in the middle of the station.
Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera said authorities were working to “evaluate the impact on travelers, athletes, and ensure the transport of all delegations to the competition sites” for the Olympics. Speaking on BFM television, she added, “Playing against the Games is playing against France, against your own camp, against your country.”
SNCF said it did not know when traffic would resume and feared that disruptions would continue “at least all weekend.” SNCF teams “were already on site to carry out diagnostics and begin repairs,” but the “situation should last at least all weekend while the repairs are carried out,” the operator said. SNCF advised “all passengers to postpone their journey and not to go to the station,” specifying in its press release that all tickets were exchangeable and refundable.
Valerie Pecresse, president of the regional council of the greater Paris region, speaking from Montparnasse station, said “250,000 travelers will be affected today on all these lines.” Substitution plans were underway, but Pecresse advised travelers “not to go to stations.”
The troubles comes ahead of an opening ceremony has been planned for later Friday, in which 7,000 Olympic athletes are due to sail down the Seine past iconic Parisian monuments such as Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, and the Musee d’Orsay.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
