HUNTINGDON, England — A shocking stabbing attack aboard a passenger train traveling from Doncaster to London King’s Cross on Saturday evening has left 10 people hospitalized with severe injuries, prompting an urgent investigation by British authorities.
The incident occurred just after 7:30 p.m. when an assailant with a knife moved through the train, indiscriminately attacking passengers as they traveled through central England. Emergency services received the first 999 call at 7:42 p.m., and within eight minutes, armed officers had boarded the train at Huntingdon station, roughly 70 miles north of London, making two arrests.
Nine of the 10 victims were initially believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries, though as of November 2, four have been discharged from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, while two remain in critical condition.
Investigation Focuses on Motive
Two British nationals, aged 32 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder at the scene. While authorities initially invoked “Operation Plato,” a protocol designed for suspected terror attacks, investigators have since stated there is no indication the assault was terrorism-related.
“We’re conducting urgent enquiries to establish what has happened, and it could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything further,” British Transport Police Chief Superintendent Chris Casey said in a statement. “At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the incident “appalling” and expressed his thoughts were with those affected, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was receiving regular updates on the investigation.
Terrifying Scenes Aboard the Train
Passengers recounted harrowing accounts of the attack. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the attacker armed with a large knife moving through the coaches, with some victims fleeing down aisles covered in blood. Multiple passengers locked themselves into the buffet car in an attempt to escape the assailant, who attempted but failed to enter that section of the train.
The entire incident is believed to have lasted between 10 to 15 minutes from the time the stabbings began until officers accessed the train at Huntingdon.
