In brief
At 19:27 UTC on Thursday, a bus laden with lorry drivers collided with a stationary freight train on the loading platform at Coquelles, near Calais. The bus remained upright but caused injuries to the driver and 18 passengers, none of which were life‑threatening. Emergency services airlifted the worst off‑site, while freight and Eurostar traffic continued after a brief stoppage. An investigation into the cause has begun
At 19:27 local time, a minibus carrying truck drivers from across Europe kollided with a stationary freight train at the loading platform of the French side of the Channel Tunnel at Coquelles, near Calais.
The bus was pivoted onto the platform while its occupants were waiting for the shuttle rail service that transports vehicles across the tunnel. The impact was severe enough to knock the driver and one passenger unconscious; both were air‑lifted to hospital by helicopter. All other passengers suffered minor bruises and shock.
Local sub‑prefect Agathe Cury said the freight line and Eurostar services suffered only a brief pause to evacuate the injured. “Freight and Eurostar traffic resumed after a short stoppage,” she said. Eurostar confirmed that its passenger trains running between London and continental Europe were unaffected.
Investigators are examining why the bus struck the seemingly stopped train. The incident is the first known collision of this type on an Eurotunnel loading platform. The bus remained upright, but the shock generated enough energy to injure those on the vehicle. No European nationals were confirmed among the injured, though the vehicle's crew were men of diverse nationalities.
Witnesses, including BBC reporter Evan Davis, reported a busy scene with cars queued at check‑in. He noted that traffic flow continued despite the accident. Emergency workers were seen rallying around the bus and the freight train while paramedics treated the casualties.
The Channel Tunnel stretches beneath the English Channel from Folkestone in Kent to Coquelles in France. It supports three types of traffic: passengers on Eurostar, freight trains, and the Le Shuttle service that carries vehicles. The crash did not interfere with these services after the immediate clearance of the injured.
