Italy’s Transport Ministry said rail infrastructure in northern Italy was targeted in suspected sabotage that affected travel on day one of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
Police said they are investigating three incidents of damage to rail infrastructure around Bologna and have not ruled out a link to the Olympics, Italy’s ANSA news agency reported. A structure housing a track switch was set on fire at dawn near the coastal city of Pesaro. Hours later, electrical cables used to detect train speeds were found cut in Bologna, and a makeshift explosive device was discovered along a nearby track.
“The serious incidents of sabotage that occurred this morning near Bologna train station and in Pesaro, causing significant disruption to thousands of travelers, are worrying,” Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said in a statement.
The Transport Ministry noted that France’s high-speed rail network had also been sabotaged ahead of the Olympic Games held in July 2024. “There are similarities in action and timing,” AFP quoted Salvini’s spokesperson as saying. The ministry added that these actions “do not in any way tarnish Italy’s image in the world, an image that the games will make even more compelling and positive.”
Bologna is a major transport hub for east–west services and a key link between the south and northern cities such as Milan and Venice. Milan is co-hosting the Winter Games with Cortina, which is reachable by train from Venice.
Edited by: Zac Crellin