We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
EUROTUNNEL PASSENGERS HAD to be evacuated from a train after it broke down beneath the English Channel.
They were transferred to a cargo train but complained of being stuck in the sub-sea tunnel for nearly five hours, citing issues with the replacement transport.
The initial breakdown late yesterday affected the 3.50pm Eurotunnel Le Shuttle service from Calais to Folkestone and led to hundreds of passengers being ushered into a service tunnel.
Videos on social media showed holidaymakers walking through the alternate tunnel alongside the 50 kilometre rail route between Britain and France, some with suitcases and dogs.
Meanwhile travellers in Calais were told to stay away from the terminal until 6am today, with pictures showing gridlock at the shuttle terminal late into yesterday evening.
A spokesman for Eurotunnel Le Shuttle said: “A train has broken down in the tunnel and we are in the process of transferring customers to a separate passenger shuttle via the service tunnel, to return to our Folkestone terminal.
“We apologise sincerely for this inconvenience.”
The spokesman added: “Due to the earlier train fault, we advise you not to travel to the terminal tonight.
“Please arrive after 6am tomorrow.”
Michael Harrison, from Cranbrook, Kent, one of those on the evacuated train, told the PA news agency: “We got on the 3.50pm crossing, approximately 10 minutes in the lights went out and the train stopped.
“We were told they needed to investigate an issue with the wheels.
“It took approximately one and a half hours for them to investigate and obviously not find anything.
“They reset things and set off for another five minutes.
“It happened again at which time we waited a further couple of hours to decide they couldn’t see a problem but had to evacuate the train to another train.
“After further waiting we left the train through the emergency link tunnel to the service tunnel.
“We then walked approximately 10 minutes to a train in front of the stricken train.
“This was a bus carriage where we got transported to Folkestone.
“That train then stopped as it couldn’t get traction, presumably as it was long and had no weight on it.
“There were gasps of incredulity when that was announced.
“We finally arrived in Folkestone six hours after boarding.”
Journalist Bruce Atkinson, caught up in the delays at Calais, tweeted: “Sitting in the boarding queue at Calais with no idea how long we will be waiting. Been here 4 hours so far.”
Sarah Fellows (37) from Birmingham, will have taken 18 hours to return home from a family holiday in France after the “utter carnage” of the evacuation.
She told PA: “The service tunnel was terrifying.
“It was like a disaster movie.
“You were just walking into the abyss not knowing what was happening. We all had to stay under the sea in this big queue.
“Fire and rescue were there.
“There was a woman crying in the tunnel, another woman having a panic attack who was travelling alone.
“They were expecting really older people to walk for a mile down the middle of a tunnel under the sea.
“It was utter carnage when we arrived in Folkestone as they hadn’t really prepared for us arriving.
“It just wasn’t organised of how to evacuate that train.
“I was panicking at one point and Border Force told us the tunnel had been evacuated one other time in the last 17 years, not recently.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
They keep saying “under the sea” like as if that had any bearing on their ability to walk.
@Mogh Roith: I suppose the main thing being that there was no emergency exit to get to the surface perhaps, they were stuck until alternative transport arrived
@John Meade: Even if there was an emergency exit to the sea, I don’t think I’d use it.
@Mogh Roith: All I can think of is Spongebob and Squidward – and now that son in ringing in my head … oh dear me!
That lady needs to have a serious rethink about what “utter carnage” actually means. Shows how soft society has become when some use those words to describe being forced to walk a mile. And “Walking into the Abyss” ?
@Tommy Roche: Maybe Elon Musk could rescue them
An unanticipated adventure at no extra cost
@Paul:
Not if you suffer from panic attacks
@Noelp Watson: best to stay at home with the curtains pulled and in the dark if you “suffer” panic attacks
“Walking under the sea” they were already travelling in a train under the sea
Utter carnage…..Really?
@Ciaran Maher: Indeed. Maybe she should spend some time in Ukraine to have a better appreciation of what the words mean.
Drama queens!
Yes, but did they die?
Liz Truss probably driving the train!!!
Can’t wait for the Netflix mini series, Drama queens under the sea! You would be forgiven for thinking that they were not in a tunnel under the sea before the train stopped…
@David Van-Standen: remake of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea me thinks!!!
@David Van-Standen: Flakes On A Train
Though in fairness, breaking down and getting out to walk while under the sea would be a bit unsettling. Not as unsettling as getting off the DART 50m from Bray station but still :P
@Dylan Cotter: All the same, I’m pretty sure that any Irish people who had to walk would start singing to pass the time and cheer each up. I bet the dogs were delighted with the bonus walk.
Ya its a dark eerie place when you have to get off. Only happened to me once since 1994 & usually it’s on the service tunnel you travel. Obviously there were too many passengers on it to do that. Not a nice place for a panic attack but my kids usually love it.
Things break down , that’s life.
Sorry can’t hear you I’m in a tunnel
If the train has Disney written on it then they would have had to pay for ‘the scary tunnel ride’
‘Gasps of incredulity’. I wonder if they’ll blame brexit.
I sit here in my quiet peaceful house and think ‘ isn’t it great not to have to go anywhere ‘ It seems like it’s all queues ,delays , breakdowns ,staff shortages, missing luggage which might even contain your mother’s ashes . and then maybe after all that people who could have more covid ,monkey pox and God knows what else .As for the Eurotunnel I think the French did something to piss off the Brits .Like they say ‘.There’s just no place like home .Anyway with the pressure on houses you could find someone squatting in yours if go off on that ‘relaxing’ holiday
It’s all very well for under 50s saying ‘only had to walk a mile’ but wait till you’re over 60 and then tell me it’s a walk in the park. Personally I’m claustrophobic and would’ve needed an ambulance as the panic would’ve consumed me.
have your say