Nineteen people were injured on Thursday evening after a minibus collided with a freight train near the French entrance to the Channel Tunnel, authorities have confirmed.
The accident occurred in the Coquelles area near Calais, northern France, at the terminal used for cross-Channel transport between France and the United Kingdom. The injured included the minibus driver, according to reports citing French authorities. No deaths were reported, and officials said none of the injuries was life-threatening.
The minibus was reportedly carrying lorry drivers who were preparing to cross the English Channel with their vehicles transported by train. Initial accounts of the incident differed on the precise circumstances of the collision, with reports indicating that the minibus overturned or moved onto the railway tracks before coming into contact with the freight train. Authorities have not yet established the exact cause of the crash.
Emergency services, including firefighters, medical personnel and police, responded to the scene to assist the injured and manage the aftermath of the collision. Some media reports indicated that several people sustained serious injuries, although the Pas-de-Calais prefecture said none of those injured was in a life-threatening condition.
The incident temporarily disrupted cross-Channel rail operations, including freight services through the Channel Tunnel, as emergency teams responded and the affected area was secured. Reports indicated that Eurostar passenger services were largely unaffected, although some late services were cancelled for reasons reported to be unrelated to the collision.
The Channel Tunnel, operated by Eurotunnel, provides a rail link between Folkestone in southeast England and Coquelles near Calais in France. It carries passenger vehicles aboard LeShuttle services, as well as freight traffic and international passenger trains.
Authorities are expected to establish the circumstances that led to the collision as further information becomes available. The identities and nationalities of those injured had not been publicly disclosed in the reports available at the time of publication.