SNCF teams quickly went to the site to diagnose this breakdown. And the latter was attributed to the tearing of catenaries, the origin of which remains unknown at this time. Impossible to restart without carrying out work.
Emergency device
Immediately, the SNCF triggered an alert allowing large rescue teams to be sent to the scene. “This is to ensure the safety of our travelers,” explained the SNCF communications department this Saturday morning. Thus, firefighters, civil protection teams and police were deployed to the scene.
The decision was to transfer all the passengers to another train in order to bring them to Morcenx station. This operation began around 11:30 p.m. All in the coolest weather conditions in the Landes.
A TGV blocked in Morcenx-la-Nouvelle
The other consequence of this breakdown was the immobilization of three other trains, including a TGV at Morcenx-la-Nouvelle station and which provided the Hendaye – Paris connection for several hours. Thus, passengers from the broken down TER were able to board this TGV to reach Bordeaux Saint-Jean station.
It was in the middle of the night – around 3 o'clock – that the travelers arrived on the Gironde quays. That is nine hours after their departure from the Basque station. “Travelers who wished were able to benefit from a hotel,” specifies the communications department, “and they were then able to take the trains of their choice to reach Paris.” Some left Bordeaux from 5 a.m. this Saturday, November 23. On social networks, some travelers expressed their “moonish” feeling. “Arrived at Paris Montparnasse ten hours late,” notes another.
The SNCF communications department explains that travelers impacted by these incidents will benefit from “150% reimbursement”.
