The Orient Express attacked with stones near Sighisoara, Romania
The Orient Express Company has confirmed that three windows from a wagon of the train were broken after an attack with rocks on Sunday night, at 21:00, close to Sighisoara, in Romania, while the famous train was on route back to Paris.
"I can confirm that on Sunday evening, around 21.00, that the train Venice Simplon-Orient-Express passed through Sighisoara, was targeted by an attack with stones thrown by a person near the railway," said Anna Nash, PR director at Orient Express.
The Orient Express train chief announced, on Monday morning (September 10) that shortly after leaving Sighisoara several windows were broken. Romania's Transport Police are investigating the incident and it is unclear at this stage if the windows were broken intentionally.
The Police investigation was hampered because before Curtici, county Arad, the train stopped only once in Simeria. Photographs and measurements were made in the station yard, where three broken windows at wagons 12, 13 and 14 were found, but it was impossible to determine whether they were intentionally destroyed or if an accident had caused the damage.
The Orient Express train returned Saturday from Istanbul to Bucharest North Station, where it left Sunday to Budapest, with a stop scheduled for five hours in Sinaia.
A trip on the Orient Express Istanbul - Venice costs this year, EUR 10,540 and in 2013 tickets will reach over EUR 14,000, according to prices listed online.
Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com
(photo source: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express)