International News

Olympics on High Alert as France’s High-Speed Rail Network Faces Sabotage

Written by Jerry Alomatu on July 26, 2024

News Views: 40

Paris — France’s high-speed rail network has been severely disrupted by a series of “malicious acts,” including arson attacks, just hours before the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony, SNCF announced on Friday. The national train operator revealed that these coordinated acts of sabotage have targeted multiple lines, including the Atlantic, northern, and eastern routes, resulting in significant service cancellations and delays.

SNCF reported that the attacks, described as a “massive assault on a large scale,” involved arsonists setting fire to key facilities, causing extensive damage. The company has advised passengers to postpone their journeys and avoid train stations as repairs are carried out.

The southeastern line remained unaffected by the attacks, which were described as deliberate attempts to paralyze the TGV network. Despite efforts to reroute trains, many services are expected to be cancelled or delayed through the weekend.

The disruption comes as Paris is under heightened security for the Olympics, with the opening ceremony scheduled to take place along the Seine River—a first for the Summer Games. The event is set to draw around 300,000 spectators, including numerous VIPs, and is being held amidst France’s highest alert level for potential terrorist threats.

At Montparnasse train station, passengers faced delays ranging from 30 minutes to nearly two hours. “Normal traffic is expected to resume on Monday, July 29,” stated a notice in the departure hall.

Jocelyn, a 27-year-old student, shared her frustration: “We arrived around 7:00 am but were told we might not be able to leave before Monday. We expected some chaos with the opening ceremony, but this is beyond what we anticipated.”

SNCF continues to manage the situation and work on restoring full service as quickly as possible.

AFP