A bus has collided with a stationary freight train near the French entrance to the Channel Tunnel, resulting in 19 injuries, according to French authorities. The bus, carrying lorry drivers who were scheduled to take a shuttle rail service, struck the train at the tunnel's loading platform in Coquelles, near Calais.
Two individuals sustained severe injuries and were airlifted by helicopter, though a local official stated that no lives were in danger. Local sub-prefect Agathe Cury reported that freight and Eurostar passenger traffic through the tunnel were not disrupted by the incident, which occurred at 19:27 (17:27 GMT), apart from a brief halt to allow for the evacuation of the injured.
The individuals involved in the crash are all men of various nationalities, she added.
Photographs published by the local French newspaper La Voix du Nord depict a small bus with damage to its front and side, positioned next to a train amidst a gathering of emergency personnel.
Eurostar issued a statement: "An incident occurred several kilometers away from the Channel Tunnel. This incident does not involve or impact Eurostar trains running from and to London. All of Eurostar trains will run as expected."
