All services are running as normal through the Channel Tunnel after a bus crashed into the Le Shuttle on Thursday evening. The bus slammed into the Le Shuttle at the loading platform at around 7.30pm, injuring 19.
Injuries and response
Pas-de-Calais Under Prefect Agathe Cury confirmed that 19 people in total were injured, including the driver of the bus, but none are in critical condition. Two of those injured were airlifted to hospital after the collision between the freight train and the bus.
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."
Investigation and service impact
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 an Eurotunnel loading platform.
Services will all run as expected today as Cury stated yesterday that freight and Eurostar traffic were not disrupted following the incident. The Le Shuttle shuttle was interrupted for around an hour and 30 minutes on Thursday evening.
Official statements
The prefecture's 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."
Eurostar released a statement on Thursday evening, confirming that no disruption was caused. It 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."
