All Eurotunnel services are running as normal after a bus slammed into the Le Shuttle on Thursday evening, injuring 19 people. The minibus crash occurred where vehicles were boarding the Le Shuttle at the loading platform for the Eurotunnel on Thursday, October 15 at around 7.30pm.
Injuries and Response
Pas-de-Calais Under Prefect Agathe Cury said that 19 people in total, including the driver of the bus, are injured, but none are in critical condition. However, two people were airlifted to hospital after the collision between the freight train and the bus.
An investigation is now underway to assess the cause of the incident. Cury said this was "the first time an incident of this type has occurred" on a Eurotunnel loading platform.
Emergency Resources Mobilized
The Pas-de-Calais prefecture wrote on X: "Significant emergency resources were mobilized first by Eurotunnel, then deployed under the authority of the prefect of Pas-de-Calais. In total, 55 firefighters, 25 emergency medical service personnel, 20 national police officers, and 100 Eurotunnel agents intervened on site."
The post continued to add that passenger traffic for the Le Shuttle shuttle was temporarily interrupted, but only for a total of an hour and a half during the management of the incident. The post concluded: "All cross-Channel traffic has now resumed normally. The emergency services and Eurotunnel teams mobilized ensured the care of the involved persons and the restoration of normal operating conditions at the site."
No Disruption to Other Services
Freight and Eurostar traffic have not been disrupted and services will run as expected today, Cury said. On Thursday evening Eurostar released a statement that said: "An incident occurred several kilometres away from the Channel Tunnel tonight, not involving Eurostar. This incident does not impact Eurostar trains running from and to London. All of Eurostar trains will run as expected."
