19 Injured as Minibus Collides With Train at French Entrance to Channel Tunnel

At least 19 people were injured after a minibus carrying truck drivers collided with a train at the French entrance to the Channel Tunnel, prompting an emergency response and a temporary suspension of vehicle shuttle services.

The accident occurred on Thursday evening, October 15, at the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles, near Calais in northern France, as the minibus was heading towards a train preparing to transport vehicles through the tunnel to Britain.

French authorities said the minibus veered off course and struck the side of the shuttle train. Two people sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were airlifted to a hospital in Lille, while 17 others suffered minor injuries. The minibus driver was among those hurt.

Emergency services deployed approximately 200 personnel, including firefighters, police officers, ambulance crews and a rescue helicopter, to assist the injured and secure the scene.

According to the Associated Press, vehicle shuttle services were suspended for about 90 minutes before gradually resuming later in the evening. Eurostar passenger services and freight operations were not affected by the incident.

The nationalities of those injured had not been released in the initial reports, although authorities said the relevant consulates had been notified.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation. French officials described it as an unusual incident at the vehicle-loading terminal, which has operated since the Channel Tunnel opened in 1994.

The Channel Tunnel provides a major transport link between France and Britain, carrying cars, buses and freight vehicles aboard shuttle trains beneath the English Channel. The accident raised immediate concerns about safety at the busy terminal, although authorities reported no life-threatening injuries.

Investigators are expected to establish why the minibus veered off course and whether any operational or safety issues contributed to the collision.