Herd of Horses Causes Temporary Closure of Major Dutch Highway

Motorists on the A9 motorway got an unexpected visitor on Wednesday evening: a herd of horses galloping through the Wijkertunnel in the direction of Alkmaar, while traffic was still flowing through the tunnel. The highway was temporarily closed due to the animals.

It remains unclear how the herd ended up on the A9. Rijkswaterstaat (Dutch infrastructure agency) personnel arrived on scene and guided the horses off the highway. Where the animals came from and what route they had taken before reaching the A9 is unknown.

The road toward Alkmaar remained closed for some time. After the herd was guided off the roadway, the A9 was reopened and traffic through the Wijkertunnel resumed.

This is not the first time animals have caused disruptions on Dutch highways. Previous incidents include four horses being stuck for 32 hours on the French A1, and a loose dog causing a temporary closure of the Drechttunnel.