Eurostar has announced the suspension of all services between London and Paris on Friday due to the discovery of an unexploded Second World War bomb near the train tracks in the French capital.
The situation has led to significant travel disruptions, with many passengers stranded at key stations such as Paris’ Gare du Nord and London St Pancras, as evidenced by various videos and images shared online.
Initially, Eurostar cancelled 12 services on Friday morning but later decided to halt all train journeys, a decision that impacts a day typically characterised by high passenger volume. The resumption of services will depend on the completion of “mine clearance operations” conducted by the French police.
It is not uncommon for unexploded ordnance from the First and Second World Wars to be found in France; however, such discoveries in heavily populated areas are relatively rare.
Eurostar said in a statement: “Due to an object on the tracks near Paris Gare du Nord, we are expecting disruption to our services this morning.
“Please change your journey for a different date of travel.”
France’s national train operator SNCF said in a statement that services at Gare du Nord would be suspended until mid-morning at the request of the police.
