Eurostar, the high-speed train service that connects Britain with continental Europe, was facing a second consecutive day of severe delays after cables were stolen and two people were hit by a train near its station in Lille, France, the company said.
The train operator said there were delays and last-minute cancellations on Wednesday after a “cable theft” near the station in northern France, and advised passengers to cancel or postpone their trips. Eurostar was also forced to cancel routes on Tuesday, after two people died on its high-speed line between Lille and Paris.
The problems come during a time of heightened fears about sabotage in Europe, and they follow several other major disruptions to European rail services because of cable theft or vandalism.
In May, more than 10,000 passengers were stranded in Spain after cable was stolen.
Last July, arsonists in France cut and burned cables for high-speed rail lines before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, targeting important signal stations in three different areas. Experts say that the unusually dense French rail network is especially vulnerable to sabotage, in part because it is so expansive.
There was no immediate official indication as to the motivation behind the cable thefts.
Aurelien Breeden contributed reporting.
Amelia Nierenberg is a breaking news reporter for The Times in London, covering international news.
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