Olympic Opening Day: 'Massive Attack' on Railway Disrupted Plans for 800 Thousand Passengers.

In Paris, during the opening of the Olympic Games, the railways of France suffered damage as a result of several acts of sabotage. This was reported by Le Figaro.

On the morning of July 26, hundreds of passengers in Paris found out that their trains could not depart. Later, railway operator SNCF reported that a series of deliberate damages had occurred on the railway network overnight; the incidents happened on the first day of the Olympic Games.

The high-speed train network (TGV) was paralyzed due to arson on three lines: Atlantic, North, and East. This led to serious delays in transportation operations. The management of the French railway considers this to be a "massive attack that paralyzed the TGV network".

Transport Minister Patrice Vergriet stated that "all available facts indicate deliberate actions." "At the same hours, vehicles and people who fled were found — particularly in the southeast, incendiary substances were discovered at the site," he said. Vergriet also reported that the investigation continues, but "everything points to malicious arson."

 Le Figaro notes that passengers are advised to postpone their trip and not to visit the station, by exchanging or refunding their tickets for free. Repair crews have already arrived at the scene, but work will continue throughout the weekend. Transportation issues also observed at the Montparnasse station in Paris, causing dissatisfaction among tourists on social media.

The head of the capital region, Valérie Pécresse, also condemned the incidents and called them a "massive coordinated attack," expressing gratitude to railway employees who prevented malicious individuals from reaching their goal on the southeast line.

She stated that only on Friday, the plans of 250 thousand travelers will suffer. Authorities and transport companies are preparing alternative routes and means of transportation, and travelers with train tickets are urged not to go to the station.

The director of the railway operator SNCF, Jean-Pierre Farandou, stated that the company is using all its resources to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. According to him, the arsons disrupted the plans of 800 thousand passengers.

It is also worth noting that the weather could significantly worsen the plans of Olympic visitors. In Paris, heavy precipitation is forecast on the day of the Olympic opening ceremony. The heaviest rains are expected in the evening.