Paris Olympics 2024: Franco-Swiss airport briefly evacuated after 'bomb threat' amid French rail disruptions

First Published Jul 26, 2024, 5:27 PM IST | Last Updated Jul 26, 2024, 5:27 PM IST

The Basel-Mulhouse EuroAirport, located on the French side of the border near Basel, has reopened after being temporarily evacuated due to a bomb threat. The evacuation occurred earlier on Friday, just hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. The Haut-Rhin prefecture confirmed that the evacuation was prompted by a bomb threat. Bomb-disposal experts were deployed to handle the situation, and the airport was closed "for security reasons" while the area was secured.

In a statement on its website, Basel-Mulhouse EuroAirport announced the re-opening. "The airport has reopened and flight operations are gradually restarting. Passengers are requested to contact their airline for information about their flight," it said.

This incident comes amidst significant disruptions in France, where arson attacks on the high-speed rail network have already caused severe travel disruptions for hundreds of thousands of people. French authorities are searching for those responsible for arson attacks that have severely disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands.

The French rail operator SNCF reported that three nighttime arson attacks had destroyed cabling boxes at key junctions around its network, affecting areas north, south-west, and east of Paris. A fourth attempted act of vandalism south-east of the capital was prevented by rail workers who detected intruders in the early hours of Friday, according to AFP.

Also read: France's high-speed rail network hit by 'malicious acts', including arson attacks, ahead of Paris Olympics

"Our intelligence services and law enforcement are mobilised to find and punish the perpetrators of these criminal acts," France Prime Minister Gabriel Attal posted on X, calling the attacks “prepared and coordinated acts of sabotage." He said rail attacks targeted three main routes to Paris and aimed to "block the high-speed train network".

Lakhs of people will likely be affected by the attacks. French Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete said in a post on X, "Coordinated malicious acts targeted several TGV lines last night and will seriously disrupt traffic until this weekend".

"I strongly condemn these criminal actions which will compromise the vacation departures of many French people. A big thank you to the #SNCF teams, on the bridge to restore traffic conditions as quickly as possible," he added.

The Basel-Mulhouse EuroAirport, which welcomed eight million passengers in 2023, had previously faced similar evacuation issues late last year due to a series of fake bomb threats. Despite these challenges, the airport has now resumed normal operations.

The Paris Olympics opening ceremony is scheduled to take place Friday evening, adding to the heightened security measures across France.

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