A major rail system in France has been massively disrupted ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremonies later today.
Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF) tweeted Friday morning that “Following this massive attack aimed at paralyzing the high-speed line network, a large number of trains were diverted or canceled.”
Jean-Pierre Farandou, the CEO of SNCF, told reporters Friday the attacks on the rail system included “arson” and intentionally damaging cables. The state-run rail line said it doesn’t know who’s behind the attacks.
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Trains to and from Paris will ultimately be affected, and SNCF said approximately 800,000 travelers could feel the effect.
“Affected travelers will be contacted by email or SMS. We ask all travelers who can to postpone their trip and not to go to the station,” the rail line continued.
Travelers during service disruptions at Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris, France, on Friday, July 26, 2024. Trains to and from Paris, including the international Eurostar service, were hit by what authorities called a “massive attack aimed at paralyzing the network” of France’s super-fast trains just hours ahead of the inauguration ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games. (Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
SNCF called the attacks on the three railway lines — the Atlantic, North and East — “an attack on France.”
Farandou said rail cables, which are there for safety, became damaged and will need repair.
“Therefore we have to pull them back together one by one, reconnect all these cables and test them. It’s a question of security. We have to make sure we test them so when trains are back up and running, they are safe,” Farandou said.
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A view of the Eiffel Tower with the Olympics rings pictured with national flags of competing countries from the Place du Trocadero ahead of Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 21, 2024 in Paris, France. (Kevin Voigt/GettyImages)
Farandou said that for one of the fires, two destinations were hit, adding that it was “a premeditated, calculated, coordinated attack” that indicates “a desire to seriously harm” the French people.
In addition to the French population, this will be a busier-than-normal weekend and two weeks with spectators from around the world flocking to France for the Games, the first in Paris in 100 years since the city hosted the 1924 Games. Paris also hosted the 1900 Games.
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French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera said Olympic organizers would “ensure the proper transport of all delegations to the competition sites.”
The Opening Ceremony will be on the Seine River beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET, the first kickoff to a Summer Olympics that won’t be held in a stadium setting.
There have been no reports of injuries.
