Eurostar has announced the suspension of "all trains between London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels", with a gradual resumption starting at 3pm, following a double technical incident in the Channel Tunnel, involving tunnel operator Getlink.

"There has been a problem with the power supply to the Channel Tunnel, followed by the stoppage of a shuttle train in the tunnel ," a Eurostar spokesperson told AFP, "which means all journeys to and from London are suspended until further notice , pending the situation being resolved."

The company had already warned that its rail services through the Channel Tunnel between London and the continent were disrupted and advised customers to postpone their journeys. "Please avoid going to the station unless you already have a ticket for today," the company states on its website.

Eurostar has offered affected customers the option to change their ticket free of charge or cancel their booking for a refund or voucher.

Last year, a record 19.5 million passengers traveled on Eurostar, 850,000 more than in 2023. Several airlines have announced in recent months their intention to open competing routes to Eurostar, currently the only passenger service through the Channel Tunnel connecting London to the continent. In October, the British group Virgin gained access to the highly sought-after Temple Mills depot in London, previously reserved for Eurostar and crucial for the launch of competing services between London and the continent.

Hundreds of passengers were left waiting at St Pancras station in the British capital.

(Unioneonline/vl)