Dutch police are investigating a suspected act of sabotage after large parts of the country’s rail network came to a standstill Tuesday morning, causing delays and cancellations for passengers across central and northern parts of the Netherlands.
“Materials were found in several places along tracks that were deliberately placed there. This is causing section failures. It seems to be sabotage,” ProRail, the county’s rail infrastructure operator, said in a statement.
According to a spokesperson, pipes had been attached to railway tracks, and unauthorized materials were found in at least 20 locations. This led to multiple signal failures across the network.
The perpetrators have not been identified and national police are leading the investigation. ProRail said its priority was to get trains running again, while preserving evidence as far as possible.
Annet Bertram, the secretary of state for infrastructure and water management, called the alleged sabotage “particularly worrying,” adding that “it is now important that this is investigated very carefully.”
The incident happened on Prinsjesdag, the annual day marking the start of the Dutch parliamentary year, when the government presents its budget plans for the year ahead.
This is not the first time the Dutch rail network has been severely disrupted by suspected sabotage on the day of a major event. During last year’s NATO summit in The Hague, trains around Schiphol airport were severely delayed after a fire. No one has been arrested in connection with that incident.
European countries are on high alert amid concerns about an uptick in hybrid attacks on the continent. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last month that Europe faces “an escalating campaign of threats” which were “seeking to divide our Union.”