In brief
A minibus carrying lorry drivers hit a stationary freight train at the French loading platform of the Channel Tunnel in Coquelles, injuring 19 people. The bus stayed upright, and a rapid emergency response evacuated the most serious cases by helicopter. Freight and Eurostar services were only briefly halted, and a full investigation has begun to determine how the collision occurred. The crash is the first of its kind on an Eurotunnel platform, highlighting the importance of safety protocols in the tunnel’s complex operations.
A minibus carrying lorry drivers struck a stationary freight train at the loading platform of the French side of the Channel Tunnel in Coquelles, near Calais, at 19:27 local time. Nineteen people, including the bus driver, were injured but none suffered life‑threatening wounds.
The bus did not overturn; it remained upright after the impact. Helicopters ferried the most severely injured passengers to nearby hospitals, while a swift response from emergency crews allowed the incident to be contained within minutes.
Local authorities confirmed that freight and Eurostar services were unaffected, except for a brief temporary halt to evacuate the injured. An investigation has now begun to determine the cause of the collision.
The incident marks the first time a bus has collided with a train on an Eurotunnel loading platform. The Channel Tunnel, which connects Folkestone in England with Coquelles in France, carries Eurostar passenger trains, freight services and the Le Shuttle vehicle shuttle.
