Confusion ahead of Paris Olympics as 'massive attack' on trains and airport closures
Confusion had reigned within the Paris 2024 Olympics organizing committee, hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympics, after the French railway company was hit by a "massive attack" on Friday night and airports were closed, causing major traffic disruption affecting more than 800,000 passengers.
This came despite France's caution and extensive security precautions and was confirmed by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, who said that French authorities had reviewed nearly a million applications for accreditation for the games that began on July 26 and had rejected 4,340 applications, some of them due to security concerns.
The SNCF railway company said in a statement that "several simultaneous malicious acts" affected its Atlantic, North, and East lines, noting that "deliberate fires were started to damage" the express line's facilities.
As a result, the circulation of high-speed trains (TGV) on these three routes is experiencing "major disruptions". The company added: "We are in the process of converting some trains to traditional lines, but we will have to cancel many of them".
The company explained that the southeast high-speed train line "has not been affected".
Paris prosecutor Laure Becque announced that the High National Authority for the Fight against Organised Crime had opened an investigation on Friday into "all intentional damage to the railway company's sites". She added in a statement that the investigation concerns sabotage of property likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation and to harm the automated data processing system.
For his part, the chairman of the board of directors of the SNCF, Jean-Pierre Varandeau, announced Friday during a press conference that the "massive attack" on the high-speed rail network affects 800,000 passengers.
A "heinous criminal act" before the opening of the Paris Olympics
The attack comes just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, when many travelers were planning to go to the capital, and also precedes a weekend when transport has become widespread during the summer vacation period.
In turn, the Minister Delegate for Transport Patrice Vergret condemned what he called a "heinous criminal act", warning of "very serious consequences" for train traffic.
"These Games are intended for athletes who have dreamed of them for years and who compete for podiums and who want to sabotage that," said Sports Minister Amélie O'Dea-Castera.
The French National Railway Company expressed regret, saying: "This is a massive, large-scale attack aimed at paralyzing the high-speed rail network."
After a source close to the investigation spoke of an "act of sabotage," a security source confirmed that all French intelligence services had been mobilized.
Speaking to reporters at the Olympic Athletes' Village, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said: "I have no concerns. We have complete confidence in the French authorities."
Head to the buses
At Paris' Montparnasse train station, served by the West and South-West express trains, passengers follow signs warning of delays for departing trains of up to two hours, and longer for arriving trains.
In Bordeaux (southwest), sports journalist Baptiste Leduc (26) had to inform his management that he would miss the opening of the Olympic Games because his train was 3 hours and 20 minutes late. However, he was looking for an alternative solution, with "everyone heading for the buses".
On the eastern axis, traffic has almost stopped since 5 am on the motorway, also due to an "act of sabotage" near Bagney-sur-Moselle (east). "Traffic should resume normally on July 27", the railway company indicated.
On the northern axis, sabotage targeted the Arras region, according to the National Railway Company, and the resumption of activity is planned for July 29.
Eurostar trains from Paris to London and Brussels were also affected, according to the company's online information dashboard.
The company told Agence France-Presse: "All passengers will be informed by SMS of the progress of their trains," and advised "all passengers to postpone their journey and not to go to the station."
On the air travel front, Basel-Mulhouse airport on the French-Swiss border was evacuated for "security reasons."
The French-speaking Swiss airport said: "For security reasons, the airport has been evacuated and is now closed. We will provide you with full information later."
Paris will deploy 45,000 security personnel to ensure security for the games and the unique opening ceremony that will take place along the Seine, where boats carrying athletes will float in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators.
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