Two trains carrying Olympic athletes to Paris on the western Atlantique line were stopped on Friday, just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics. France's rail company SNCF reported that one train was cancelled while efforts are ongoing to restore the other. The disruption, part of a series of coordinated sabotage attacks on the high-speed rail network, has caused widespread travel chaos and raised security concerns.
Athletes' trains stopped on West Atlantic line
France's rail company SNCF announced that two trains transporting Olympic athletes to Paris were halted on Friday, only hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics. One train was cancelled, while authorities were working to make the other operational.
Coordinated sabotage attacks disrupt high-speed rail network
The disruption is part of a series of coordinated sabotage attacks across France's high-speed rail network early Friday. Vandals targeted signal substations and cables on key routes, including those connecting Paris with Lille, Bordeaux, and Strasbourg. An attempt to damage the Paris-Marseille line was also thwarted.
Massive security operations underway
The sabotage occurred amidst an extensive security operation mobilising tens of thousands of police and military personnel to safeguard Paris for the major sporting event. These incidents have highlighted potential security vulnerabilities in the country's infrastructure.
No group claims responsibility
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Security sources suggest the methods used may indicate involvement by leftist militants or environmental activists, though concrete evidence is yet to surface.
Official response and travel advisory
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated, "What we know, what we see, is that this operation was prepared, coordinated, that nerve centres were targeted, which shows a certain knowledge of the network to know where to strike."
Meanwhile, SNCF has urged all travellers to postpone their journeys as efforts to restore normalcy continue.
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