Channel Tunnel crash injures 19 as minibus hits train in France
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- A minibus hit a train at the Channel Tunnel terminal in France. Nineteen people were hurt.
- Officials say no one died. They say no lives are in danger.
- Le Shuttle traffic stopped for an hour and a half. It then went back to normal.
A minibus hit a train at the Channel Tunnel terminal in France. The crash hurt 19 people on Thursday evening. Officials say no one died, and no lives are in danger.
What happened
The crash took place at Coquelles, near Calais, on the French side. A minibus hit a train that stood at a loading platform. The platform is where cars and trucks board Le Shuttle trains.
The minibus carried truck drivers. They were about to board a Le Shuttle train. The driver of the minibus was hurt too.
The driver works for Eurotunnel. Local officials gave the first facts. The crash took place on Thursday evening, October 15, 2026.
Early reports said five people were in a serious state. Officials later said no lives are in danger. Two of the hurt people went to a hospital in Lille.
The hurt people come from more than one country. Rescue teams rushed to the site. They sent ambulances and a helicopter.
Border police came too. The area was closed off on Thursday evening. How the crash took place is still not known.
Officials have not yet said what caused it. Officials opened an investigation. They will look for the cause.
The prosecutor in Boulogne-sur-Mer spoke about the case. The case is about unintentional injury. That means officials think the harm was not planned.
Why it matters
The Channel Tunnel links France and the United Kingdom. It runs under the English Channel. The Channel is the sea between the two countries.
It links Coquelles in France with Folkestone in England. It opened in 1994. It is 50.5 km long.
Getlink runs the tunnel. Its Le Shuttle trains carry cars, trucks, and buses. Eurostar runs passenger trains through it.
Hundreds of trains use the tunnel each day. A crash at a loading platform can halt this flow. It can delay trips for many people.
Le Shuttle and Eurostar are not the same. Le Shuttle carries cars and trucks. Eurostar carries people only.
Coquelles sits near Calais in northern France. It holds the French terminal for the tunnel. Cars, trucks, and buses check in there.
Le Shuttle traffic stopped for an hour and a half. It then went back to normal. The sub-prefect of Calais gave this news at a briefing.
Her name is Agathe Cury. The briefing took place at about 10:30 at night. She said traffic was back to normal.
Eurostar said its trains were not part of the crash. Its trains kept to their plan. The last two trains between Paris and London that day did not run.
Eurostar said this was due to repair work. It was not due to the crash. For travelers, the key point is simple.
The crash hurt people, but it did not shut the tunnel. Check updates before you leave.
It also shows a risk at busy terminals. Vehicles and trains share tight space at loading platforms. Small errors can turn into big harm.
Clear rules and care can cut that risk. Safety checks before a trip matter.
What happens next
The investigation will look for the cause. It will ask how the minibus hit the train. It will ask if rules must change.
Officials may share more facts in the next few days. They may say if the site needs new safety steps. They may also say if staff need new training.
The prefecture will give more updates as facts come in. The first briefing took place on Thursday night. More briefings may follow.
The hurt people will keep getting care. Officials have not named them. That is normal at this stage.
Names come out only when families agree. Travelers can check Le Shuttle and Eurostar updates before they leave. Service changes can shift a trip plan fast.
The tunnel stays open. Trains run as normal. If you use this route, keep one fact in mind.
The tunnel itself was not hurt. The crash took place at the terminal, on land. The crash is a sad note for a busy route.
The facts so far point to a local crash, not a tunnel failure. The next updates will tell us more.
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