Overview
At the LeShuttle loading area in Coquelles, a minibus carrying truck drivers struck a shuttle train, injuring 19 people. Vehicle shuttles paused for about 90 minutes, but Eurostar passenger trains and freight services were not affected.
Nineteen people were hurt at the Coquelles loading area
At the LeShuttle loading area in Coquelles, northern France, a minibus carrying truck drivers veered off course near the tunnel entrance and struck a vehicle shuttle train. Nineteen people were injured; two were hospitalized with serious but not life-threatening injuries, and 17 had minor injuries.
Authorities say the cause is still under investigation. The collision happened in the loading area; filling in an unconfirmed cause would go beyond what is known.
The vehicle shuttle stopped for ninety minutes
Vehicle shuttle service resumed gradually after a suspension of about 90 minutes. Eurostar passenger trains and freight services were not affected.
The distinction matters. It was the vehicle-shuttle operation that paused, not every train connecting Britain and France.
Traffic volume cannot explain the collision
The tunnel carried 3.4 million vehicles last year, alongside millions of Eurostar passengers. That scale helps explain why even a localized interruption matters, but it does not explain why this collision happened.
Until investigators report back, this incident cannot establish either that the wider operating system failed or that loading-area safeguards were sufficient. Both conclusions would outrun the available evidence.
Sources read for this article
Associated Press, “Minibus slams into Channel Tunnel shuttle train, injuring 19 and halting service,” page time: 15 Oct 2026, 21:47:02 UTC. https://apnews.com/article/channel-tunnel-crash-minibus-train-france-britain-b76c3a781106db25e6adcd289d84f3f6
Euronews, “At least 19 injured as minibus collides with train near Channel Tunnel,” published 15 Oct 2026, 22:15 GMT+2; updated 16 Oct 2026, 4:31 GMT+2. https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/15/at-least-19-injured-as-coach-collides-with-train-near-channel-tunnel