Police say two suspects have been taken into custody after a mass stabbing attack on a London-bound train in England late on Saturday. The attack hospitalised 10 people who sustained injuries, nine of whom remain in critical condition.
“Ten people have been taken to hospital with nine believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries,” British Transport Police said in a statement early Sunday.
The suspects were detained by armed officers at the train station in the town of Huntingdon, after the train made an emergency stop there following the attack.
Police have not identified the suspects or disclosed a motive, but said counterterror police are supporting the investigation.
“This has been declared a major incident and Counter Terrorism Policing are supporting our investigation whilst we work to establish the full circumstances and motivation for this incident,” said British Transport Police.
The police force said that “Plato” the national code word used by police and emergency services when responding to what could be a “marauding terror attack,” was initiated. That declaration was later rescinded but no motive for the attack was disclosed.
“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,” said Chief Superintendent Chris Casey.
“At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident,” he added.
The attack took place as the train from Doncaster in northern England to London’s King’s Cross station was about halfway through its 2-hour journey and approaching Huntingdon, a market town a few kilometres northwest of Cambridge.
Emergency services, including armed police and air ambulances, responded quickly as the train drew into the emergency stop station.
The attack appears to have been contained swiftly after the train arrived at the station, and police officers wearing forensic suits, with a police dog, could be seen on the platform.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary, the local police force responding to the incident, said its officers were called to the scene just before 8 pm local time on Saturday, about 120 kilometres north of London.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his “thoughts are with all those affected” after what he slammed as an “appalling incident.”