Trains across central Italy were delayed by more than an hour on Feb. 14 after suspected sabotage during the Winter Olympics. Burnt cables were found on the Rome–Naples high-speed line, and officials are probing other possible vandalism between Rome and Florence. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini condemned the attacks as "hateful criminal acts" that endanger lives, while investigators work to identify those responsible. An anarchist group had claimed a prior attack near Bologna that caused up to 2½-hour delays.
Suspected Sabotage Disrupts Italian High-Speed Trains During Winter Olympics
FILE PHOTO: Italy Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, during the unveiling of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics medals REUTERS/Alberto Lingria/File Photo
MILAN, Feb 14 — Trains running through central Italy experienced delays of more than an hour on Saturday after what authorities described as a suspected act of sabotage during the Winter Olympics.
Services between Naples in the south and Rome were disrupted, and northbound lines toward Florence also reported delays. Investigators said they found burnt cables on a section of the high-speed line between Rome and Naples and were probing two other possible acts of vandalism on routes linking the capital and Florence.
“These are hateful criminal acts aimed at workers and at Italy,” Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said, urging that the incidents not be downplayed or justified because they put lives at risk.
An anarchist group claimed responsibility for an earlier attack on the network last Saturday — the first full day of the Games — when rail infrastructure near Bologna was damaged, causing delays of up to two and a half hours across high-speed, Intercity and regional services.
The disruptions come as Italy hosts the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo from Feb. 6–22. Authorities said investigations were ongoing and security measures on the rail network had been stepped up while police and railway officials work to identify and apprehend those responsible.
Details: Investigators are examining the damaged cables and reviewing CCTV and other evidence along affected stretches of line. Transport officials have warned travelers to expect further checks and potential delays as inspections continue.
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