After the acquisition, the French construction company would control 18.79% of Getlink, it said, adding that while it might buy further shares in the future, it did not intend to launch an outright takeover.

Eiffage, which said it had financed the 1,194-million-euro ($1.20 billion) investment, or 15.84 euros per share, with available cash, had bought a first 5.1% stake in the tunnel firm in 2018.

($1 = 0.9923 euros)

(Reporting by Juliette Portala, editing by Tassilo Hummel)