German authorities confirmed on Friday that a second act of sabotage was discovered along a vital railway corridor in western Germany, just one day after a fire in a cable tunnel paralyzed train services.
Initial reports from Thursday detailed a fire in a cable tunnel between Düsseldorf and Duisburg, a major transport artery, which authorities swiftly declared deliberate and non-accidental. The blaze damaged approximately 60 meters of cable, forcing widespread cancellations and rerouted services.
Police in Düsseldorf revealed that investigators identified damage at a second site on the same railway, caused by an incendiary device identical in design to the first. Although officials declined to specify the type of damage, the pattern strongly suggests coordinated sabotage. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported in either incident, Reuters reported.
It was a coordinated and large-scale attack against the 🇫🇷 railway networks this morning. This wasn’t isolated individuals – this was organized on a larger scale. Many questions. pic.twitter.com/6Adn8lkwDs
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) July 26, 2024
Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s rail operator, warned that disruptions could persist through the weekend, as repairs are expected to continue into Saturday. Long-distance and regional services, including high-speed routes to Berlin, Frankfurt, and connections across northern and southern Germany, were severely impacted.
Authorities continue to investigate motives and possible perpetrators, with state security involved in scouring surrounding areas and surrounding lines. The repeated targeting of rail infrastructure marks a serious escalation, raising alarm about vulnerabilities in Germany’s critical transport network.
