France’s main rail system has been hit by major disruptions ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, scheduled for later today.
French National Society of Chemistry (SNCF) Tweet on Friday “Numerous trains have been diverted or cancelled following this major attack aimed at paralysing the high-speed rail network,” it said in a morning statement.
SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou told reporters on Friday that the attacks on the rail system included “arson” and deliberate damage to cables. The national railway said it did not know who was behind the attacks.
Trains to and from Paris will ultimately be affected, with SNCF saying around 800,000 travellers will be affected.
“Affected travellers will be contacted via email and SMS. All travellers who are able to do so are requested to postpone their journey and not go to stations,” the railway continued.
Travelers watch as services are disrupted at Gare de Lyon in Paris, France, on Friday, July 26, 2024. Trains to and from Paris, including the international Eurostar train, were hit in what authorities called a “major attack aimed at paralyzing the network” of France’s superfast trains just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games. (Nathan Lane/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The opening ceremony will begin on the Seine River at 1:30 pm ET, marking the first kickoff of a Summer Olympics held outside a stadium.
This is a developing story.
