Latest news with #AlexCroft7
The Independent
07-03-2025
- The Independent
Eurostar - latest: All London to Paris trains cancelled today after WWII bomb found near Gare du Nord station
Eurostar has suspended all of its services between London and Paris on Friday after the discovery of an unexploded Second World War bomb near tracks in the French capital. Thousands of passengers have had their travel disrupted with videos and images showing people stranded in Paris' Gare du Nord and London St Pancras. The cross-Channel operator cancelled 12 services on Friday morning, before later announcing that all train journeys would be suspended, on a day which is typically extremely busy for Eurostar trains. Services will only be permitted to resume once 'mine clearance operations' by the French police are completed, a Eurostar spokesperson said. Bombs left over from the First and Second World Wars are regularly discovered in France, but it is rare for them to be found in such densely-populated areas. Eurostar said in a statement: 'Due to an object on the tracks near Paris Gare du Nord, we are expecting disruption to our services this morning. 'Please change your journey for a different date of travel.' France's national train operator SNCF said in a statement that services at Gare du Nord would be suspended until mid-morning at the request of the police. 'It's a bummer': American's first Europe trip left in tatters Ella Brown and Charlie Spath had planned on spending the weekend in Paris but have now been forced to try and rebook their train. Ella, 21, travelled from Orange County, California to visit her friend Charlie, also 21, on his year abroad at City University. They planned to spend their weekend in France, but are now trying to rebook their Eurostar for tomorrow night. 'It will all work out, but it's a bummer,' Ms Brown said. 'I haven't been to Europe before.' They looked at flights 'but it's almost more of a pain,' she said. Alex Croft7 March 2025 12:08 This is an 'exceptional situation', says French transport minister The French transport minister has said the discovery of a WWII bomb and the ensuing travel chaos is an 'exceptional situation'. "The mine clearance is continuing," he said according to Le Parisien, adding that road traffic in the area 'could' start again from 4pm. But its also possible that traffic will not reopen until the evening or even tomorrow morning. "We are really in an exceptional situation," Mr Tabarot added. Alex Croft7 March 2025 11:52 Watch: All trains cancelled after WWII bomb found near Paris Gare du Nord Station Alex Croft7 March 2025 11:45 Alex Croft7 March 2025 11:23 Bride-to-be nearly misses out on hen party Charlotte Liddell, a bride-to-be, was on the way to her own hen party when her group discovered the cancellations. Others in the party are already in Paris, having flown from northern England. The London resident will fly from Leeds Bradford Airport and hopes to be in Paris this evening. 'It's the hen do without the hen!' she said. 'We're very upset, but it's so out of our control.' Fran Birch, who will be a maid of honour, said: 'We've got all the decorations with us.' About the bomb, she joked: 'It's from World War Two. Just let it lie.' Alex Croft7 March 2025 10:57 Eurostar cancellations: Your rights to a refund after WWII bomb discovered near Paris Gare du Nord Tens of thousands of passengers are stranded at either end of the London - Paris Eurostar link following the discovery of a wartime bomb at St-Denis, a few miles north of Gare du Nord in the French capital. The closure has happened on the busiest day of the week for Eurostar. Besides large numbers of business passengers shuttling between London and Paris, Friday is the key day for leisure travellers heading for a weekend away. Eurostar says all its 32 trains on the link are cancelled, leaving 25,000 passengers out of position. When plans start unravelling for Eurostar passengers, they can go very wrong indeed. The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder reports: Eurostar: Your rights after trains cancelled due to WWII bomb near Paris Gare du Nord Consumer protection is not nearly so strong for rail travellers as airline passengers Alex Croft7 March 2025 10:31 Passengers bemoan ruined holidays after Eurostar cancellations Charlotte Kidd, who travelled to London from Bath last night to get to Disneyland Paris for her 30th birthday this weekend, said she was still hopeful of getting there in time. She said: 'We've got two hours. If not, we'll try and get there some other way.' Emma Roe, part of a group of eight friends, said they were looking up flights to go 'maybe to Amsterdam from Luton, just somewhere else'. 'There's no booking until 6pm tonight. 'We're all parents, so we don't want to lose our free weekend.' Alex Croft7 March 2025 10:17 Eurostar full statement After earlier cancelling a dozen trains, Eurostar has now cancelled all trains on Friday between London and Paris. The train operator said in a statement: 'Due to the discovery last night of an unexploded bomb from the Second World War during work carried out on the tracks in St Denis (north of Paris), traffic has been completely halted to and from Gare du Nord. 'As a result, all Eurostar trains are cancelled to and from Paris today.' Alex Croft7 March 2025 10:00 Watch: WWII bomb discovery halts all train traffic at Paris' Gare du Nord Alex Croft7 March 2025 09:49 Breaking: All Eurostar services suspended for the rest of Friday Eurostar has announced that all its services between London and Paris will be suspended throughout Friday after the bomb discovery. The train operator had previously told passengers to expect disruption because of 'an object on the tracks', and advised them to 'change your journey for a different date of travel'. Services will only be permitted to resume once 'mine clearance operations' by the French police are completed, the spokesperson added. Alex Croft
The Independent
07-03-2025
- The Independent
Eurostar - latest: All trains cancelled after WWII bomb found near Paris Gare du Nord Station
Eurostar has suspended services between London and Paris after the discovery of an unexploded Second World War bomb near tracks in the French capital. Thousands of passengers are disrupted as the cross-Channel operator cancelled 10 services on Friday morning. All trains in the Paris to London direction are cancelled until at least 12.09pm. The number of cancellations is continuing to rise swiftly on Friday morning, which is typically an extremely busy day for Eurostar trains. Eurostar said in a statement: 'Due to an object on the tracks near Paris Gare du Nord, we are expecting disruption to our services this morning. 'Please change your journey for a different date of travel.' France's national train operator SNCF said in a statement that services at Gare du Nord would be suspended until mid-morning at the request of the police. Where was the bomb found - and is there danger? The bomb which has prompted chaos on the Eurostar was discovered at around 4am by workers doing earth-moving work near the Seine-Saint-Denis of northeast Paris. Minesweepers were sent to the site, and their operation to guarantee the area is safe is still going on. It isn't uncommon for bombs left over from the World Wars to be discovered in France - but to find them in such a people-packed location is rare. French transport minister Philippe Tabarot told broadcaster Sud Radio that local residents and people near the train stations should have "no fear" of a risk of explosion, stressing the procedures in place for defusing and removing such bombs. Alex Croft7 March 2025 08:38 In pictures: Passengers stranded as train cancellations rise Alex Croft7 March 2025 08:27 Simon Calder: Rail travellers rights are much weaker than air travellers Simon Calder, The Independent's Travel Correspondent, tackles the consumer issues arising from the Eurostar closure. The closure has happened on the busiest day of the week for Eurostar. Besides large numbers of business passengers shuttling between London and Paris, Friday is the key day for leisure travellers heading for a weekend away. Eurostar says: 'You can exchange your ticket for free to travel at a different time or date in the same travel class.' Were this affecting airlines, rather than trains, passengers would have a wide range of rights, including alternative transport as soon as possible, plus meals and hotels as they wait. But rail travellers' rights are much weaker. Many passengers will have booked accommodation in Paris, which they may not be able to cancel. Travel insurance may provide some recompense. Alex Croft7 March 2025 08:15 Report: Eurostar cancels all trains from London after unexploded WWII bomb found near Paris Gare du Nord station Eurostar has cancelled all trains from London until at least mid-morning after the discovery of an unexploded Second World War bomb disrupted traffic at Paris's busy Gare du Nord station. 'An unexploded bomb from the Second World War was discovered near the tracks,' French national railway company TER said. The disruption is affecting both local metros and national and international trains. Eurostar's website shows that at least four trains scheduled to depart from Gare du Nord on Friday morning have been cancelled so far, while six trains departing Paris for London have also been cancelled. Andy Gregory and Simon Calder report: Eurostar trains cancelled as WWII bomb found near Paris Gare du Nord Eurostar trains cancelled and Paris metro disrupted after unexploded bomb discovered Alex Croft7 March 2025 08:09 Eurostar cancellations rising swiftly Travel correspondent Simon Calder with the latest: The number of cancellations on Eurostar is rising swiftly. The first four departures from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord have been cancelled, with the first train that is expected to run at 10.31am. In the opposite directly, the first six trains are cancelled – with the first departure not expected to leave until the afternoon, as 12.09pm. Friday is an extremely busy day for Eurostar, and later trains are heavily booked. Passengers are being advised to book on later days. Alex Croft7 March 2025 08:07 WW2 bomb discoveries rare in densely populated Paris The Gare du Nord is a major European transit hub, serving international destinations north of France as well as the main Paris airport and many regional commuters. Bombs left over from World War I or World War II are regularly discovered around France but it is very rare to find them in such a people-packed location. Barney Davis7 March 2025 08:02 Eurostar calls on passengers to avoid travel today Eurostar has warned passengers to avoid using the service today after a Second World War bomb was found near the tracks in Paris. They said: "Due to the presence of an object on the tracks near Paris Gare du Nord, we are expecting disruption to our services this morning. Please change your journey to another travel date.' The disruption was caused by "the discovery during the night of an unexploded bomb from the Second World War during work carried out upstream of Paris Gare du Nord," SNCF management said. Barney Davis7 March 2025 07:59
The Independent
07-02-2025
- The Independent
Sweden school shooting latest: Victims expected to be named as government backs tightening gun laws
'There were bloodstains, puddles and drops everywhere' - witness account Maria Lahdo, a survivor of the gun massacre, described the 'bloodbath' when she stepped out of her hiding place to be escorted out by police. Hidden with others inside a classrooms, she recalls comforting each other and phoning worried relatives as gun shots rang out in the school. 'We heard two shots, when the third came we realized something was wrong,' Ms Lahdo told Expressen. 'Another person in the room froze in shock in the doorway... I had to pull the person into the room and quickly lock it. 'There was someone in the hallway who suddenly started pulling the door handle. It must have been him trying to get in. Several people had panic attacks, it was terrible.' When police arrived and they were escorted out of the room, they were warned that there would be blood. 'But you really didn't understand it until you saw it with your own eyes,' she said. 'There were bloodstains, puddles and drops everywhere. You could see that people had been dragged in that blood. And we stepped in the blood when we ran out.' Alex Croft7 February 2025 15:23 Watch: Swedish King says Sweden is 'standing behind' families of school shooting victims Alex Croft7 February 2025 14:54 Victim Salim Iskef's friend tells of love for man who was like his brother The close friend of the 29-year-old who has been identified as among those shot dead in the horror attack has told local media of his love for a man who was like his brother. Jonatan Suaw, 29, said Salim Iskef, 29, who was named in local reports as among the victims of the school shooting in Sweden, told Swedish publication Expressen: 'I loved him.' Mr Suaw said he had been invited to Mr Iskef's upcoming wedding and had held his niece when she first first born. Mr Suaw told the newspaper the pair were like brothers and that he now wants to live as Mr Iskef would live if he was still alive, always trying to do his best and being a good person. Alex Croft7 February 2025 14:31 Final heartbreaking phone call school shooting victim made to mother during attack revealed The final heartbreaking phone call one of the Swedish school shooting victims made to his mother during the attack has been revealed. Salim Iskef, 29, reportedly called his fiancée then his mother from inside Risbergska School just before he was shot dead in the horror that unfolded there. In what were among his last words, Mr Iskef's aunt Nadia Reeb told Aftonbladet that the 29-year-old told his mother: 'Mom, take care of yourself and take care of my girl too.' Alex Croft7 February 2025 14:10 In pictures: Mourners pay their respects Alex Croft7 February 2025 13:48 Saudi leaders extend condolences to Sweden's king after school shooting Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud offered condolences to Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf after 10 people were killed in one of the worst shooting incidents in the country. Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud condemned "this criminal act, and extended his deepest condolences and sincere sympathy" to the Swedish king, families of the deceased and friendly people of Sweden, a statement read. Alex Croft7 February 2025 13:29 Sombre scenes as Swedish royals and Prime Minister visit school shooting scene Alex Croft7 February 2025 13:10 Elon Musk slammed for sharing lies about the response to Sweden school shooting Elon Musk has been condemned for sharing lies about the global response to the Sweden school massacre. Rickard Andersson, a 35-year-old recluse, has been named in Swedish media as the suspected gunman who killed 10 people at Risbergska School in Örebro, before turning the gun on himself. But as well-wishers paid their respects to the victims of the massacre online, X owner and member of the Trump administration Musk promoted a false claim that 'no European politician' had mentioned the massacre. Posted by right wing account Inevitable West, the tweet also falsely claimed the 'legacy media, as always, is silent', despite widespread coverage of the tragedy in newspapers and on television around the world. Alex Croft7 February 2025 12:50 'You should leave Europe' heard in victim's footage A video published by TV4 shows a victim hiding in the bathroom while the Örebro shooter appears to be firing bullets outside. At one point, someone can be heard shouting 'you should leave Europe', according to audio analysis by the Swedish broadcaster. It is unclear who shouts the phrase. Police say the motive behind the crime is still being investigated. Hashem Shams, who recorded and published the video, said in an Instagram story on Tuesday: 'I was there, and I cannot understand what happened. I am grateful to be alive, but my thoughts go out above all to those who did not, to those who were injured and to all the relatives who have lost someone they love. 'No one should have to experience something like this. I feel sadness, shock and a great powerlessness, but I also want to express my sympathy and support to all those affected.' Alex Croft7 February 2025 12:27 Syrian refugee among shooting victims is described as a 'hero' A Syrian refugeee who was named as among those shot dead in the school shooting in Sweden has been described as a 'hero'. Jonatan Suaw, 29, told local media Salim Iskef, 29, who was named in Swedish reports as among the victims of the horror attack, had been working as his personal assistant for a year while he studied to become a nurse. Speaking at a memorial site outside Risbergska School, Mr Suaw, who is unable to walk, said Mr Iskef would carry him when he has been unable to move.
