A minibus shuttling lorry drivers to a Le Shuttle train was hit by a train on the French side of the Channel Tunnel on Thursday evening, leaving at least 19 people injured, five of them seriously. Authorities were quick to stress that nobody died and none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The minibus was carrying truck drivers who were about to board a Le Shuttle service through the tunnel that links France and Britain. Its driver was among those hurt. Emergency response was substantial: a helicopter-based medical team and border police were sent to the scene as rescue work continued, and the local deputy prefect was scheduled to brief reporters at Eurotunnel's nearby headquarters later that evening.
For anyone crossing the Channel that night, the practical fallout was disruption as much as injury. Two Eurostar trains running between France and England were cancelled on Thursday evening, and rail services through the tunnel were affected while emergency crews dealt with the incident.
If you have a Eurostar or Le Shuttle booking around any incident on the French terminal side, it's worth checking operator updates before setting off — terminal-area accidents can knock out services even when the tunnel itself is untouched. Operators typically rebook affected passengers on later trains, so keep your booking reference handy and allow extra time if you're connecting to a ferry alternative or a flight as a backup. Travellers driving to the Calais terminal for Le Shuttle should expect occasional security and access changes around the French site, which handles freight drivers as well as car passengers — the very mix involved in this collision.
