Refugees storm Channel Tunnel, disrupt services: Operator
Eurotunnel, the company operating the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France, says it has suspended train services after a number of refugees stormed the French terminal of the undersea passage.
“At around 12:30 a.m. (2230 GMT on Friday), around 100 migrants forced a closure and the entry of security agents into the tunnel,” a Eurotunnel spokeswoman told AFP, adding, “We have suspended the service.”
According to a firefighter at the scene, 10 people, including seven refugees, suffered minor injuries as a result of the incident.
The development comes as thousands of refugees are camped in France’s northern port city of Calais in hope of crossing over into the UK.
At least 13 refugees have lost their lives at Calais since the end of June while trying to make their way into Britain.
The most recent death was reported on Wednesday, when an Eritrean in his twenties was found dead near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel in France after being hit by a freight train.
Back in August, Eurotunnel said the number of attempts to break through the Channel Tunnel entrance had fallen to about 150 a night, compared to 2,000 recorded in the previous month.
The situation in Calais is part of a wider refugee crisis across Europe. Most of the asylum seekers who risk their lives to reach Europe are reportedly fleeing conflict-hit zones in Africa and the Middle East, particularly Syria.
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