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Belgium migrants: Girl found dead after police chase van Belgium migrants: Girl dies after police chase van
(about 2 hours later)
A young girl has been found dead after police chased a van carrying up to 30 migrants in southern Belgium, reports say. A two-year-old girl was found with fatal injuries after a van carrying 30 migrants was chased by police for an hour in southern Belgium.
Belgian authorities have opened an inquiry after the body of the girl, aged two or three, was found. The girl died soon afterwards, police say. Belgian authorities have opened an inquiry.
The chase reportedly began on the E42 motorway outside the town of Namur. The chase began on the E42 motorway outside the town of Namur.
The van drove west for several kilometres, evading police. Eventually it collided with a lorry near Mons and the girl's body was found, reports say. The van drove west for several kilometres, evading police. Eventually it collided with another vehicle near Mons and the girl was found.
The van was carrying 26 adults and three children of Kurdish origin, according to Belgian broadcaster RTBF. Police were questioning some of those involved. Belgian media have reported that the girl had been held out of a van window apparently to keep the police at a distance. Police told the BBC they could not confirm the reports.
Hours after the incident in the early hours of Thursday, dozens of migrants reacted by blocking a motorway near Dunkirk, south of the Belgian border in France. The van was eventually blocked at 03:00 (01:00 GMT) on Thursday after several police cars had taken part in the chase.
The migrants then returned to the nearby Grande Synthe camp, where some were searched by French CRS riot police. The van was carrying 26 adults and three children of Kurdish origin, according to Belgian media.
French reporter Elisa Perrigueur said the Kurdish migrants staying at the camp had known the girl who had died as she had been staying in the gym at Grande Synthe. Police said it was not clear whether the driver had got away but the passengers would be interviewed.
French authorities described the incident as involving people smugglers.
Hours after the incident in the early hours of Thursday, a group of some 60 migrants reacted by blocking a motorway near Dunkirk, south of the Belgian border in France.
Migrants staying at the nearby Grande Synthe camp had known the girl who had died as she was part of a family who had been staying in the gym, said French police.
Twenty people were detained and the migrants then returned to Grande Synthe, where some were searched by French CRS riot police.
Belgian authorities said a post mortem examination would take place to find out what had caused her death.Belgian authorities said a post mortem examination would take place to find out what had caused her death.
An unconfirmed report said a Belgian police patrol had tried to stop the van because it appeared heavily weighed down. A police check then indicated it was carrying false number plates.An unconfirmed report said a Belgian police patrol had tried to stop the van because it appeared heavily weighed down. A police check then indicated it was carrying false number plates.
A minister in the French-speaking Wallonia-Brussels government, André Flahaut, sent his condolences to the girl's family. "The politics of chasing migrants is bound to end in drama," he said on Twitter.A minister in the French-speaking Wallonia-Brussels government, André Flahaut, sent his condolences to the girl's family. "The politics of chasing migrants is bound to end in drama," he said on Twitter.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.