(Breaking news — developing) SNCF, France’s high-speed rail network, was hit by a “massive” malicious attack by arsonists overnight, just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Summer Games kick-off. Some 800,000 passengers were reportedly affected.

A source close to the investigation told AFP on Friday (July 26) that the attacks were coordinated acts of “sabotage,” and the SNCF added: “This is a massive attack on a large scale to paralyze the TGV network.”

Several routes were subsequently canceled, with the attacks reportedly affecting its Atlantic, northern, and eastern lines.

The state-owned railway operator said fires had been set at installations along the lines connecting the capital with cities, such as Lille in the north, Bordeaux in the West, and Strasbourg in the East, Sky News reported on Friday.

SNCF, France’s high-speed rail network, was hit by a “massive” malicious attack by arsonists overnight

Image credits:  Chesnot/Getty Images

Image credits: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

“Arson attacks were started to damage our facilities,” the SNCF said, adding that traffic on the affected lines was “heavily disrupted” and the situation would last through the weekend as repairs are conducted.

Trains were being diverted to different tracks. “But we will have to cancel a large number of them,” the rail network added as it urged passengers to postpone their trips and stay away from train stations.

At Paris’ Montparnasse train station, dozens of passengers were reportedly waiting for more information about their trips after delays of 30 minutes to almost two hours were announced.

Image credits: Mediavenir

“Normal traffic is expected to resume on Monday, July 29,” read one of the signs in the departure hall, as per France 24.

“We arrived around 7 am but we were told that we might not be able to leave before Monday,” 27-year-old student Jocelyn, who had planned to travel to Brittany, told France 24.

“We expected it to be a bit chaotic in Paris with the opening ceremony scheduled for this evening, but we didn’t think it could be this bad,” she added.

The attacks happened just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Summer Games kick-off

🇫🇷 ALERTE INFO – À quelques heures de la cérémonie d’ouverture des JO, la #SNCF est victime d’une “attaque massive d’ampleur pour paralyser” son réseau de TGV, avec des incendies volontaires. Le trafic sera “très perturbé” au moins tout le week-end. ⚠️ Il est demandé “à tous les… pic.twitter.com/pMrxUN8Ka4

— Mediavenir (@Mediavenir) July 26, 2024

The national routes weren’t the only transport affected, as Eurostar also said its service between London and Paris was disrupted by the act, which has now been labeled “vandalism.”

“Due to coordinated acts of malice in France, affecting the high-speed line between Paris and Lille, all high-speed trains going to and coming from Paris are being diverted via the classic line today Friday 26 July. This extends the journey time by around an hour and a half,” Eurostar said in a statement.

Passengers at St Pancras in London, UK, were consequently warned to expect delays of around an hour, Sky News reported.

Image credits: Charles Burke

Taking to his X page on Friday, France’s Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete wrote: “Coordinated malicious acts targeted several TGV lines last night and will seriously disrupt traffic until this weekend. 

“I strongly condemn these criminal actions which will compromise the vacation departures of many French people. 

“A big thank you to the #SNCF teams, on the bridge to restore traffic conditions as quickly as possible.”

Some 800,000 passengers were reportedly affected

Image credits:  Neri/Getty Images

The attacks were launched as Paris was under heavy security ahead of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics, with 300,000 spectators and an audience of VIPs expected at the event, France 24 reported on Friday.

The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will start at 19:30 CEST on Friday, with the three-hour spectacle set to take the world on a journey through Parisian history and architecture, the Olympics’ official website explained.

The parade, where up to 7,500 competitors are anticipated to march, will take place along the River Seine, with Thomas Jolly – a French theatre director and actor – overseeing proceedings as the artistic director.

The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will start at 19:30 CEST on Friday

Image credits: Chesnot/Getty Images

While many of the ceremony’s details have been kept under wraps, it’s rumored that Canadian singer Céline Dion, pop star Lady Gaga, and French-Malian R&B star Aya Nakamura could be among the performers, the BBC reported on Friday.

It will be the first time a Summer Olympics has opened outside the main athletics stadium, a decision fraught with danger at a time when France is on its highest alert for terror attacks, according to France 24.

France’s Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera reportedly said authorities were working to “evaluate the impact on travelers, athletes, and ensure the transport of all delegations to the competition sites” for the Olympics. 

Speaking on BFM television, Amélie said: “Playing against the Games is playing against France, against your own camp, against your country.” She reportedly didn’t identify who was behind the vandalism.

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