Suspected sabotage causes major Netherlands rail disruption

Some level crossings were closed as a result of Tuesday's disruption

Parts of the Netherlands, including Amsterdam, were hit by major rail disruption after suspected sabotage to the tracks on Tuesday morning, the country's railway infrastructure operator said.

ProRail said pipes and cables were laid on tracks at multiple locations in the country's centre and north in more than 35 incidents.

It added the acts appeared to be intentional, causing widespread cancellations and delays, with new disruptions occurring in some places after objects had initially been removed.

No suspects or motives have yet been identified. Police said a criminal investigation had been launched.

The operator said the pipes and cables caused its computer systems to believe trains were on the tracks, meaning traffic control was unable to clear the railway.

"Placing materials on the tracks is extremely dangerous and unacceptable, and fortunately, it did not lead to any accidents today," it said.

Speaking earlier, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten described the incidents as "disruptive and life-threatening".

In one case early on Monday, a train "struck metal" on the track near Steenwijk, in the country's east. ProRail said there was no further damage because the train was not travelling at full speed.

The national public prosecutor's office and the Netherlands' intelligence agency AIVD are investigating the incident alongside police.

Routes to the main international airport, Schiphol, Eindhoven and Utrecht were among those affected on Tuesday. The closure of some level crossings also caused some disruption to roads.

As of about 17:00 CEST (16:00 GMT), it said no new blockages had been reported since 13:00, with current ones now resolved. Train operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) still showed disruptions to two lines on Tuesday evening.

Its interim CEO Mirjam van Velthuizen said the events had highlighted the Netherlands' dependence on the railway and called for investment in contingency planning.

"In a world where uncertainties are increasing, we must ensure that the railway can absorb disruptions, that the impact remains limited as much as possible, and that we can recover as quickly as possible," she said.

NS earlier said that disruption was so extensive it was "not possible" to provide a bus replacement service.

Netherlands Police said units from across the country were investigating Tuesday's events.

Information boards at Zwolle station showed significant delays on Tuesday

Tuesday is Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands - the day the government presents its budget.

Hay bales were lit on fire along various roads across the Netherlands in the afternoon, after Farmers Defence Force (FDF) - a group aimed at defending the interests of Dutch farmers and farm workers - said protests would take place.

The group is opposing government plans asking them to reduce nitrogen emissions.

Authorities have not established a link between the protests and the disruption on the rail network.

The FDF said it was not responsible for the railway sabotage, but said it could not rule out the involvement of individual farmers.

Disruption in the Netherlands came after separate reports in French media suggested a derailment in Normandy on Friday could have been an act of sabotage.

According to prosecutors, a section of rail found on the track may have caused the crash. But France's interior minister Laurent Nunez has urged caution while an investigation is ongoing, saying that authorities are pursuing all leads.

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Source: BBC News