At least 19 people were injured when a minibus collided with a freight train at the loading platform of the Eurotunnel near Calais, French authorities said.
The cause of the accident, which occurred in Coquelles at about 7.30pm on Thursday, was yet to be determined.
It appeared the minibus, which was carrying heavy goods vehicle drivers, collided with a departing LeShuttle train on the platform, a local official told reporters.
The bus driver and a passenger who suffered severe injuries were evacuated by helicopter.
None of the injuries were life-threatening, the Pas-de-Calais prefecture said in a statement, adding that ambulances, a helicopter and police were at the scene. "An accident involving a minibus carrying heavy goods vehicle drivers, headed to board a LeShuttle train, occurred this evening at the loading platform of the Eurotunnel site,” it said. “Early reports suggest that 19 people are involved, including the driver. At this stage, there are no fatalities, and no one’s life is considered to be in danger."
Agathe Cury, the subprefect for the Pas-de-Calais region, attended the scene on Thursday night.
She told reporters that two of the injured people were taken to the Hospital Centre University De Lille to receive "appropriate care", and the remaining casualties to hospitals in Boulogne, Dunkirk, and Rang-Du-Fliers for "check-ups".
"Two trains were on either side of the platform. One was being loaded by heavy goods vehicles ahead of a cross-Channel journey, and another train that had previously been loaded was departing,” she said, detailing the sequence of events. "For a reason that currently remains unknown, the minibus collided with the departing train.”
"The bus did not overturn, it is still upright,” she added. “but the shock and the collision caused injuries to the people involved."
She confirmed the minibus had been taking the HGV drivers to their allocated passenger compartment inside the LeShuttle train, which was still being loaded on the platform.
"There were various nationalities and the relevant consulates have been informed," she said.
It is currently unconfirmed whether any British citizens are among the injured.
"It is the first time an accident on a loading platform of this type has occurred," Ms Cury said.
“This is why we immediately deployed the resources necessary to respond to this incident as quickly as possible."
Ms Cury noted that air ambulances were dispatched to transport the casualties, causing a temporary disruption to Eurotunnel passenger travel.
"The freight train traffic was not interrupted, the Eurostar traffic was not interrupted. The passenger traffic was suspended for an hour and a half while helicopters dealt with the injured."
A judicial investigation had been launched to determine the full circumstances of the crash, Ms Cury added.
A photograph published by local newspaper La Voix du Nord showed a severely damaged minibus on the platform, with police officers and emergency personnel in high-visibility clothing at the scene.
Pixelated images also showed injured individuals receiving treatment directly on the platform.
Eurostar said the incident was not expected to affect its operations.
"An incident occurred several kilometres away from the Channel Tunnel. This incident does not involve or impact Eurostar trains running from and to London,” the train operator said in a status update. "All of Eurostar trains will run as expected."
Eurotunnel runs under the sea between England and France, from Folkestone to Coquelles.
"We are following reports of a collision on the French side of the Eurotunnel,” a spokesperson for the Foreign Office said.
"Our thoughts are with all those impacted. We stand ready to provide consular assistance to any British Nationals involved."
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