Sabotage blamed for disruption to German rail operations

By | October 8, 2022

Cut cables at two sites knock out communications to trains in northern Germany

German ICE high speed trains arrive and depart Frankfurt in 2016. Portions of the Deutsche Bahn network suffered disruptions on Saturday that authorites are saying were caused by sabotage. David Lassen

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BERLIN — German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn says sabotage shut down its rail network in northern Germany for several hours Saturday, broadcaster DW reports.

Investigators said communications cables were cut at one location near Berlin and another in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, leading Interior Minister Mancy Faester to say that officials “have to assume intentional acts” were responsible for the disruptions, while Transport Minister Volker Wissing said, “It is clear that this was a targeted and malicious action.”

No information has been released on potential suspects.

Deutsche Bahn initially reported a “technical fault” had led to failure of its digital train radio system, leading to the halt in service.

Reuters reports the communications system went down at about 6:40 a.m., with DB reporting it had been restored at 11:06 a.m., but cautioning that some train cancellations and delays would continue.

The incident caused concerns in the wake of recent damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which also has been called sabotage. NATO and the European Union have warned of a need to protect crucial infrastructure, Reuters reported.