Cambridgeshire Train Attack: Nine people with life-threatening injuries after stabbed

On Saturday evening, 1 November 2025, a mass stabbing occurred aboard the 18:25 service of London North Eastern Railway (LNER) running from Doncaster to London King's Cross. The incident unfolded shortly after the train departed Peterborough station

The passenger count and exact number of attackers remain unclear, but two men have been arrested at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire.
In total, ten people were taken to hospital, nine of them with life-threatening injuries, and one person with non-life-threatening wounds.
At one point the national emergency code word “Plato”, used for marauding terror-type incidents, was invoked — though authorities later said the motive is still under investigation and the code was rescinded.

According to witness accounts and official statements:

A 999 call was logged at around 19:39 GMT, and armed police responded to Huntingdon station.
Passengers reported someone moving through the carriage with a large knife, scenes of chaos, people sprinting, hiding (including in toilets), and some collapsing. One witness said: “They’ve got a knife, I’ve been stabbed.”
The train was brought to an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon, where armed officers boarded and arrested two men; one was reportedly stunned with a Taser.
The regional ambulance service declared a large‐scale response, with multiple casualties transported to nearby hospitals.

The incident was declared a major incident by the British Transport Police (BTP).
Counter Terrorism Policing has been brought in to support the investigation.
The rail operator warned of major disruption: services on the East Coast Main Line (including LNER, Great Northern, Thameslink) were affected and travel in the region was strongly discouraged until further notice.

Keir Starmer (UK Prime Minister) described the event as “appalling” and “deeply concerning”.
Local MP Ben Obese‑Jecty for Huntingdon praised the rapid emergency response but emphasised that the full motivation remains unknown.
Officials cautioned against speculation about motive at this early stage.

The motive for the attack has not been determined; no public claim of responsibility has emerged.
The identity of the attackers (and if more than the two arrested were involved) remains under investigation.
The condition of all wounded individuals, and full extent of injuries, has not yet been publicly detailed.
The security and risk implications for rail travel, particularly high-speed and commuter services, will likely be reviewed.

This event is particularly notable because:

A mass stabbing on a moving train is a relatively rare occurrence in the UK, raising concerns about rail security and passenger safety.
The invocation (even if temporary) of the “Plato” protocol signals that authorities treated the incident initially as a possible terror-type event — underscoring its severity and chaotic nature.
The fact that nine people are in life-threatening condition marks this as one of the more serious recent attacks on public transport in the UK.