The interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, announced Wednesday, July 29 the deployment of additional staff in order to secure the approaches to the Channel Tunnel, facing pass attempts mass of migrants.
Two units of mobile forces, or 120 officers of Republican Security Companies (CRS) and gendarmes temporarily assigned to Calais, in northern France, will be deployed in the day. In the night of Tuesday 28 to Wednesday, July 29, 2300 more intrusion attempts have been recorded on the Eurotunnel site, the ministry of the interior.
A migrant, origin Sudanese and aged about thirty years, was found dead Wednesday morning in the center aisle of the cargo access the site. The victim was hit by a truck “who descended from a bus while trying to climb over,” said a police source. This drama brings to nine the number of migrants who have died since the beginning of June to within the site or attempting to penetrate
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“Switch to England at all costs”
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The overwhelming majority of migrants who try each day to enter the tunnel is pumped. About 3 000 illegal are currently present in the town of Calais. For nearly two months, 1 500-2 000 intrusion attempts are recorded daily on the site, a 650 hectare area.
The same migrants wishing to join England, trying their luck more Once per night, per group of ten or a hundred people. “A number” of migrants have managed to enter the UK in recent days through the Channel Tunnel, according to Interior Minister Theresa May, who has However given no precise figure. The Minister, who chaired Wednesday an emergency meeting of the Cobra (for Cabinet Office Briefing Room – “Government Emergency cabinet” in French) in London, said:
“We will treat every asylum application in accordance with our normal procedures. The priority for us is to strengthen security at the site [Eurotunnel] Coquelles [in France], to ensure that no one is trying to borrow through the tunnel. “
Because of a social conflict between the shipping company and the owner of MyFerryLink its boats, the Eurotunnel Group, the port of Calais was blocked largely since June. Many migrants then tried to take advantage of the paralysis Channel traffic to get on the trucks stopped in Calais.
The port security has also been greatly enhanced, encouraging migrants to find “alternatives to spend at all costs in England” , explained Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais. “To access the tunnel, migrants must first cross the highway, she said Wednesday morning on France Info. This is very dangerous for them, but also for motorists and hauliers. When they access the site, there are queues of trucks waiting and who can not see what is happening around or below. Here’s how tragedies occur like that night. “
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David Cameron “very concerned”
British Prime Minister, David Cameron has said on Wednesday “very concerned” by the latest intrusion attempts. London has already paid 4.7 million euros for the construction of barriers around the terminal and boarding also announced Tuesday an extension of € 10 million to strengthen the security of the site.
Eurotunnel engaged in a communication war, has in turn Wednesday urged States to a “appropriate response” considering that the situation “exceeds what a dealer can reasonably do” . The group claims to have invested heavily – € 13 million in just the first half of 2015 – in physical means – fences, lighting, cameras, infrared barriers – and humans (caretaking staff has been doubled to almost 200 people ), to protect the Coquelles terminal. Eurotunnel seeks compensation of 9.7 million euros to the French and British governments to offset its expenses and operating losses associated with the influx of migrants since the beginning of the year.
Bernard Cazeneuve himself has repeated Wednesday that the group was “Also, it is normal to its responsibilities” . On 23 July, the minister estimated that Eurotunnel “had not made the necessary efforts to fight against migrants intrusions” .
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