Sabotage Disrupts Italian Rail Network Near Bologna During Olympics

Overview of Rail Disruptions

ROME, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Saboteurs damaged rail infrastructure near the northern Italian city of Bologna on Saturday morning, disrupting train journeys on the first full day of the Winter Olympic Games, the Transport Ministry said.

Details of the Incidents

Police reported three separate incidents at different locations, which caused delays of up to 2-1/2 hours for high-speed, Intercity and regional services.

Impact on Train Services

The ministry called it an act of "serious sabotage", adding that it echoed the opening day of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, when saboteurs struck France's high-speed TGV train network, causing travel chaos.

Official Responses

"These actions of unprecedented seriousness do not in any way tarnish Italy's image in the world, an image that the Games will make even more compelling and positive," said the ministry, which is headed by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.

The state-owned railway Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) had to temporarily close its high-speed station in Bologna, but traffic was slowly returning to normal by Saturday afternoon, it said.

Police said a cabin housing a track switch was set on fire before dawn near the Adriatic city of Pesaro. Several hours later, electrical cables used to detect train speeds were found severed in Bologna, while a rudimentary explosive device was discovered by a track at a nearby location.

A spokeswoman said no one had claimed responsibility for the incidents, which appeared to have been coordinated.

Bologna is a major junction for Italy's east-to-west rail lines, and is also the key hub linking the south to northern cities such as Milan and Venice.

Milan is a co-host of the Winter Games alongside Cortina, which is reachable via train from Venice.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Kevin Liffey)