Dozens of passengers were stuck inside the Channel Tunnel for nearly five hours after a train from Calais to Folkestone broke down beneath the channel, forcing hundreds of passengers to be guided through a service tunnel.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon, causing disruptions to the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle service from around 15:50 until late into the evening.
Travellers on the train posted about their experiences on social media, with photos showing people waiting and then walking through an alternative tunnel adjacent to the 50-kilometre rail route between the UK and France.
Some passengers had their luggage with them and walked with dogs through the tunnel. Meanwhile, passengers in Calais were told to stay clear of the terminal until 06:00 Wednesday morning, which led to queues at the shuttle terminal late Tuesday evening.
One passenger from the train, Sarah Fellows, told PA that she thought the service tunnel was "terrifying," adding that "it was like a disaster movie. You were just walking into the abyss not knowing what was happening. We all had to stay under the sea in this big queue."
Related News
Passengers were eventually taken to a replacement train and transported to the Folkestone terminal in Kent.
Eurotunnel operated at a reduced service since Tuesday's incident, but confirmed on Twitter on Wednesday morning that it is now operating at full service.
The Eurotunnel's Le Shuttle service carries passengers and their vehicles between Folkestone and Calais, with around 100 vehicles in the evacuated shuttle. The 37.9-kilometre route is the longest underwater section of a tunnel in the world.
Le Shuttle said it would contact passengers to arrange compensation, but that has not stopped travellers from voicing their discontent on social media.
