Amsterdam, Sept. 15 (SANA) Train services across the Netherlands were disrupted on Tuesday after railway infrastructure was targeted in what the national rail network operator described as a coordinated act of sabotage.
Dutch news agency ANP quoted ProRail, the company responsible for managing the rail network, as saying that safety systems had been disrupted at more than 30 locations, preventing trains from operating.
During inspections at around 5:30 a.m., ProRail workers found sections of pipe attached to railway tracks. A train struck one of the objects near Steenwijk, but no injuries were reported.
“There is clear evidence of sabotage,” ProRail spokesperson Joke van der Kruijsen said, adding that more affected locations could be identified during the day.
The Dutch intelligence agency AIVD said it was working with police to determine who may have been responsible, while the national anti-terrorism coordinator said it was too early to comment on whether the incident had a terrorist motive.
The disruption was most severe north of Utrecht, with railway operator NS warning that delays affected services nationwide. Services through Amersfoort, Zwolle and Deventer were expected to resume later in the day.
The incident occurred on Prinsjesdag, the annual opening of the Dutch parliament in The Hague, when thousands of people travel to attend ceremonies marking the presentation of the government’s legislative agenda. Dutch media noted the timing of the disruption, but no motive has been established.
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