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Numerous Eurostar travelers have been stranded on a malfunctioning train traveling from London to Amsterdam, without any updates on when they will be assisted.
The train, stuck on a track in east Kent, is now enveloped in darkness as night has fallen.
The train departing at 8:16am from London St Pancras International, travelling through Brussels and Rotterdam to Amsterdam, departed on schedule but experienced a malfunction approximately 40 minutes later at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel.
The Independent interviewed Ben Williams, one of the passengers, seven hours after the train suddenly stopped moving.
He stated that their journey reached only until right before the Eurotunnel, where they were informed of a delay before entering. Gradually, over a span of a few hours, they learned that the situation was more severe. There seemed to be a problem with the electric cables, causing the train to completely lose power.
“The train has been without power for at least five hours. The toilets have not been working correctly.”
The announcements cannot be made by them.
After a few hours, the train was pulled for approximately 10 to 15 minutes before coming to a stop once again.
Mr. Williams stated that he believes the staff is under a lot of stress and that they are not being adequately informed about updates.
After being immobile for four or five hours, we were given the opportunity to receive one complimentary food item. However, I had already purchased a sandwich after being stationary for a couple of hours.
Honestly, I’ve been taking my time because the toilets are not working.
Mr Williams was on his way to visit a friend in Amsterdam for the weekend. Eurostar has not said what the exact nature of the problem is, nor what arrangements will be made to get passengers to their destinations.
Eurostar tweeted on Twitter/X: “We apologize for the delay of the #ES9114 today. The train is currently being disconnected from the overhead power lines, which is taking longer than anticipated. As there is no power on board, announcements cannot be made. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
One hour later, the following update was made: “We are currently waiting for approval from the infrastructure managers in order to move forward. We aim to return you to London as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and patience.”
At 4:10pm, Eurostar declared: “The train is now in motion and plans are being put in place to return passengers to London.”
Mr. Williams verified that the train had once again come to a stop.
He expressed concern about the apparent lack of readiness, stating that similar situations have likely occurred before. He expected there to be a contingency plan in place for people to have access to functioning toilets and possibly receive water and food after three to four hours.
“Regrettably, the train staff has not received any logistical assistance from the head office. Therefore, they are left to handle disgruntled customers on their own.”
The Independent has reached out to Eurostar for additional details.
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