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Migrants try to board lorries amid Calais ferry strike Calais strike shuts Eurotunnel amid migrant crisis
(34 minutes later)
The migrant chaos in Calais deepened on Tuesday as hundreds tried to exploit a ferry strike by boarding UK-bound lorries. Travel chaos in Calais has deepened, with a strike shutting the Channel Tunnel which links the UK and France.
Workers from ferry company MyFerryLink have blockaded the port and Channel Tunnel, burning piles of tyres. The company that manages the tunnel said "protesters" had entered the terminal. Workers from a ferry company had previously blockaded Calais port.
The resulting slow-moving traffic encouraged UK-bound migrants near the port to try to board the lorries. Eurotunnel said it was seeing "the highest number of migrants in the Calais area... ever".
Hundreds have used the strike as an opportunity to try to board UK-bound lorries.
The slow-moving traffic results from action by workers from the MyFerryLink company.
The strike is preventing ships leaving or entering the port and the Eurotunnel disruption has left long queues building on the roads into Calais.
About 3,000 migrants are estimated to be living rough around Calais, waiting for a chance to cross the channel.About 3,000 migrants are estimated to be living rough around Calais, waiting for a chance to cross the channel.
The strike is preventing ships leaving or entering the port and Eurotunnel has reduced its train service, leaving long queues building on the roads into Calais.
Truck drivers were being advised not to stop within about 60 miles (97km) of the port, to stick with other drivers and to make sure all their doors were padlocked.Truck drivers were being advised not to stop within about 60 miles (97km) of the port, to stick with other drivers and to make sure all their doors were padlocked.
Donald Armour, international manager at the Freight Transport Association, said the situation was "definitely worse than it has ever been".Donald Armour, international manager at the Freight Transport Association, said the situation was "definitely worse than it has ever been".
"There is a lot of fighting between the migrants who all want to be on the best part of the road to get on to the lorries," he said."There is a lot of fighting between the migrants who all want to be on the best part of the road to get on to the lorries," he said.
"We haven't had a fatality but it's not good.""We haven't had a fatality but it's not good."
John Keefe, a spokesman for Eurotunnel, said the company was facing the "highest number of migrants... we have ever seen".
'Miles of traffic''Miles of traffic'
Helicopter footage showed large groups gathered by the side of the road, some chasing and boarding a moving lorry from behind.Helicopter footage showed large groups gathered by the side of the road, some chasing and boarding a moving lorry from behind.
Others were seen talking openly with drivers, while one group was chased away from a lorry by a driver who saw them attempting to break in. Other migrants were seen talking openly with drivers, while one group was chased away from a lorry by a driver who saw them attempting to break in.
One man even ran down the middle of the motorway in order to close the door behind others who had jumped aboard. One man ran down the middle of the motorway to close the door behind others who had jumped aboard.
James Kleinfeld, an eyewitness, told the BBC he saw dozens of migrants on the side of the road. James Kleinfeld, an eyewitness, told the BBC he had seen dozens of migrants on the side of the road.
"We counted around 50 people that we saw hanging around the junction after the exit from the Channel Tunnel train station," he said."We counted around 50 people that we saw hanging around the junction after the exit from the Channel Tunnel train station," he said.
"I cross quite often but I've never seen any [migrants] hanging around that part. They are on the motorway, they are on the side of the motorway. In the direction of the UK there is miles and miles of traffic.""I cross quite often but I've never seen any [migrants] hanging around that part. They are on the motorway, they are on the side of the motorway. In the direction of the UK there is miles and miles of traffic."
A Eurotunnel spokesman told the BBC the strike was expected to last until 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT).A Eurotunnel spokesman told the BBC the strike was expected to last until 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT).
According to the Home Office, about 19,000 attempts to cross the Channel have been prevented in 2015, more than double the number during the same period last year.According to the Home Office, about 19,000 attempts to cross the Channel have been prevented in 2015, more than double the number during the same period last year.