Mt Blanc tunnel reopening faces delay

The Mont Blanc Tunnel has been closed to traffic since the fire in 1999

PARIS, France -- The reopening of the Mont Blanc tunnel could be delayed again after the discovery of cracks deep inside the Alpine link closed after a disastrous fire in 1999.

Emergency repairs started on Monday after weekend checks revealed cracks in the tunnel's internal roofing, the French Transport Ministry said.

It did not elaborate on the scale of the problem, Reuters reported.

A decision on the reopening would only be taken after repair work and more tests were completed on the 11.6 km (7.2 mile) tunnel linking France and Italy, officials said.

The vital European freight route was closed in March 1999 when a truck caught fire, killing 39 people.

"In these conditions, the reopening date for light vehicles, which had been slated for any time from the end of this week, risks being pushed back," the ministry said in a statement.

The initial plan was to allow cars and light vehicles to begin using the tunnel before mid-February, and to open the tunnel to heavy freight traffic under a staggered, one-way system at a later date.

On Saturday, before the faults were discovered, the head of the Mont Blanc security commission said he expected the tunnel would reopen sometime between February 9 and 11.

However, French tunnel operator ATMB found cracks on the internal surface of the tunnel 4.6 km from the French entrance on Sunday, and therefore final safety tests, planned for Monday, were postponed by several days, the commission said.

"It has been decided to get the companies immediately to start work on the lining and necessary checks to ensure the tunnel is safe," the tunnel security commission said.

Italian authorities and truckers have accused the French of dragging their heels over reopening the tunnel by insisting on a multitude of safety checks.

At the weekend, tunnel operators staged an emergency safety drill to test evacuation procedures at the tunnel.

Freight firms are desperate for a return to business after years of having to travel longer distances at greater cost. They have staged frequent blockades in protest.

The situation has been made worse by other Alpine tunnels also being closed after fatal fires. The Gotthard tunnel through the Swiss Alps was reopened in December after being shut in October after a crash that killed 11 people.

But, local residents and environmentalists have campaigned against the Mont Blanc tunnel amid concerns that vehicle exhaust fumes may damage the fragile Alpine environment.

The risks and dangers of tunnels was brought home again on Saturday went two trucks and a car collided in the Frejus tunnel, in southern France, injuring three people.

In December, the opening of the Mont Blanc tunnel was delayed for a second time when ATMB announced safety checks would not be competed in time.

The reopening of the tunnel to cars was postponed from an initial date of December 15 to December 22, then postponed again.

At the time Italy's Transport Minister Pietro Lunardi demanded an inquiry and said: "It is unheard of that there should still be technical problems after such a long time."