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Calais migrant crisis: Man dies as Channel Tunnel targeted Calais migrant crisis: Man dies as Channel Tunnel targeted
(about 1 hour later)
A man has been killed as at least 1,500 migrants tried to enter the Channel Tunnel in Calais on Tuesday night, French police have said.A man has been killed as at least 1,500 migrants tried to enter the Channel Tunnel in Calais on Tuesday night, French police have said.
Eurotunnel says the migrants have now been removed from the site but freight services continue to be disrupted. Eurotunnel, which says incursions are now a nightly occurrence, said migrants had been removed from the site but freight services were still disrupted.
France's interior minister said 120 police reinforcements were being sent to Calais, news agency AFP reported.
It comes as David Cameron pledged that the UK government would do everything it could to combat the crisis.
Sections of the M20 in Kent are closed in both directions to allow extra lorry parking as part of Operation Stack.Sections of the M20 in Kent are closed in both directions to allow extra lorry parking as part of Operation Stack.
'Nightly' incursions It comes as the UK government comes under pressure to combat the crisis.
Speaking after a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee, Home Secretary Theresa May said the UK was pressing for the rapid installation of 1.2 miles of new security fencing which it has pledged to pay for at Coquelles, near the tunnel entrance.
Mrs May added there were some migrants "particularly trying to get into the Eurotunnel and on to the trains before that security fencing is going up".
France's interior minister said 120 police officers were being sent to Calais to reinforce security at the site.
'Urgent work'
The man who died is described as Sudanese, aged between 25 and 30.The man who died is described as Sudanese, aged between 25 and 30.
He was probably crushed by a truck which was exiting one of the shuttles that transport vehicles through the tunnel, French police said. French police said he was probably crushed by a lorry which was exiting one of the shuttles that transport vehicles through the tunnel.
He is the ninth person to die trying to access the tunnel since June.He is the ninth person to die trying to access the tunnel since June.
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Eurotunnel - which manages and operates Channel Tunnel services - says migrant incursions are now "an almost nightly occurrence". In addition to Tuesday night's incident, some 2,000 migrants had tried to get into the terminal on Monday night. Eurotunnel said some 2,000 migrants had tried to get into the terminal on Monday.
It is an issue for the government to "sort out", a Eurotunnel spokesman said. "We need them to stop the migrant flow from Calais but it appears to be too much for them to handle." A spokesman said it was an issue for the government to "sort out", adding. "We need them to stop the migrant flow from Calais but it appears to be too much for them to handle."
The Home Office does not publish daily figures for migrants entering the UK at specific locations but reports suggest some are reaching Kent. Mrs May said some migrants had reached Britain through the Channel Tunnel, but did not say how many had arrived.
Speaking after Wednesday's Cobra meeting, she said: "Crucially what we are looking at now is improving security at the railhead at Coquelles, so we can ensure people are not trying to come through the tunnel.
"That means some urgent work in government but also with Eurotunnel, and Eurotunnel has a role to play here in the measures they themselves put in place to protect their trains."
The Home Office has pledged to spend £7m on 1.2 miles of fencing there.
'Drunk with tiredness''Drunk with tiredness'
Lorry driver Sean Swan took 23 hours to travel from the M20 to Calais on Tuesday and says he only got through because he was carrying live fish. Lorry driver Sean Swan took 23 hours to travel from the M20 to Calais on Tuesday and said he only got through because he was carrying live fish.
"I was given a police escort from Junction 8 all the way to Dover, even after making the officer aware that it was now illegal for me to drive."I was given a police escort from Junction 8 all the way to Dover, even after making the officer aware that it was now illegal for me to drive.
"We bypassed thousands of stranded lorries. At one stage I felt drunk with tiredness at the wheel of a 44 tonne machine.""We bypassed thousands of stranded lorries. At one stage I felt drunk with tiredness at the wheel of a 44 tonne machine."
He says in the past month migrants have managed to board the train on every journey he has made from France to Britain. He said in the past month, migrants had managed to board the train on every journey he made from France to Britain.
Drivers found with migrants hiding on their vehicles can be fined but many are afraid to challenge them.Drivers found with migrants hiding on their vehicles can be fined but many are afraid to challenge them.
"They are jemmying the padlocks off, with hammers, crowbars and Stanley knives."They are jemmying the padlocks off, with hammers, crowbars and Stanley knives.
"On one side you risk your life and on the other you risk your livelihood.""On one side you risk your life and on the other you risk your livelihood."
Are you travelling by Eurotunnel? Do you live in the areas affected?Are you travelling by Eurotunnel? Do you live in the areas affected?
'Fingers of blame' 'Virtually lawless'
Speaking in Singapore, the prime minister said: "I have every sympathy with holidaymakers who are finding access to Calais difficult because of the disturbances there and we will do everything we can to work with the French to bring these things to a conclusion. Speaking in Singapore, David Cameron said: "I have every sympathy with holidaymakers who are finding access to Calais difficult because of the disturbances there and we will do everything we can to work with the French to bring these things to a conclusion.
"There's no point trying to point fingers of blame, it's about working with the French, putting in place these additional security measures, adding in the investment where that's needed - Britain will always come forward with that.""There's no point trying to point fingers of blame, it's about working with the French, putting in place these additional security measures, adding in the investment where that's needed - Britain will always come forward with that."
A Home Office spokesman said £7m - originally outlined by the home secretary earlier this month along with a new secure zone for UK-bound lorries - would be spent on 1.2 miles of new fencing at the Eurotunnel site at Coquelles. Keith Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said Mr Cameron should meet with the French president the moment he returns from a trade trip to South East Asia.
Work to put up fencing began earlier this month and was due to be completed this week, the Home Office added. Mr Vaz said a solution could only be reached if the crisis was dealt with by heads of government.
'The way forward' Meanwhile, Kent Police has reintroduced Operation Stack following the incident, leading to long delays for lorries on sections of the M20 near the Channel Tunnel.
Kent Police reintroduced Operation Stack following the incident, leading to long delays for lorries on sections of the M20 near the Channel Tunnel.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the port of Calais had become "virtually lawless", fearing that "unless something radical is done it is only a matter of time before a British holidaymaker or lorry driver dies".
He told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme he was surprised the French had not brought in their army to help with the crisis.
Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, which represents lorry drivers, repeated a call for the French military to "contain, segregate and control the situation".Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, which represents lorry drivers, repeated a call for the French military to "contain, segregate and control the situation".
And UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the port of Calais had become "virtually lawless", fearing that "unless something radical is done it is only a matter of time before a British holidaymaker or lorry driver dies".
He told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme he was surprised the French had not brought in their army to help with the crisis.
The home secretary held talks on the migrant issue with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Tuesday, saying the two governments were working "in close collaboration and co-operation on this issue".The home secretary held talks on the migrant issue with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Tuesday, saying the two governments were working "in close collaboration and co-operation on this issue".
Asked why British taxpayers should be paying for a problem taking place on French soil, she said French authorities have also committed extra resources to security at Calais. She added that French authorities had also committed extra resources to security at Calais.
"We have juxtaposed controls at the border. We work together on dealing with this particular problem," she added.
AFP says an official count at the beginning of July found that about 3,000 migrants - mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan - were camping in Calais and trying to get across the Channel.AFP says an official count at the beginning of July found that about 3,000 migrants - mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan - were camping in Calais and trying to get across the Channel.