Eurostar passengers face delays and cancellations after deaths and cable theft

Eurostar passengers are facing a second day of severe delays after two people died on the railway track in France and then cables were stolen.

The high-speed rail operator has told passengers to cancel or postpone their trips on Wednesday, with a number of services cancelled and delayed in both directions on lines connecting London with Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Eurostar said there was already knock-on disruption on Wednesday after two people died in separate incidents on the LGV Nord line on Tuesday, but services were further impacted after cable was stolen on the same line.

It added that repairs would hopefully be finished by around 16:00 BST on Wednesday.

The theft near Lille, which French media says is of around 600 metres of copper cables, is causing trains to be rerouted, leading to extended journey times.

Routes to and from London are subject to last-minute cancellations and severe delays, Eurostar said.

It added that impacted passengers can change their travel plans for free or request a full refund.

“We’re very sorry for the impact this is having on our customers,” Eurostar said in a statement.

“Our teams are working closely with the French authorities and infrastructure teams to manage the situation and restore services safely.”

The operator says one track has reopened, allowing some trains to run in both directions until full repairs are completed.

Water is being handed out to passengers onboard delayed trains, and stations are also very busy.

The railway line in France was closed for much of the afternoon and evening on Tuesday after the two fatalities between Lille and Paris.

Services were cancelled on routes to and from Paris while trains between London, Brussels and Amsterdam ran with delays.

Eurostar said disruption continued into Wednesday as trains and crew were displaced.