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Migrants killed trying to reach Britain from Calais (2 April 2014)

Date: 02/04/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Migrants killed trying to reach Britain from Calais

Desperate migrants are risking their lives to reach the UK by trying to stow away on – or even under – moving lorries about to cross the Channel from Calais to Dover.

The Daily Mail reports that in just one week, four migrants in Calais were killed trying to board lorries bound for England.

Charities say there are more than 600 migrants from outside the EU currently in Calais waiting to cross to Britain – reportedly the largest number since the Red Cross camp at Sangatte closed in 2002.

Many are waiting just outside the port’s perimeter fence for their chance to hitch a lift on a moving lorry heading for Dover. However, the number of those injured or killed is growing.

In March, out of the four migrants killed trying to reach Britain, one was from Albania and three others were from Ethiopia.

Despite the UK government’s attempts to discourage migrants from heading to the UK – including setting up Border Agency patrols at major airports, helping police the Greek coastline and limiting welfare benefits to new migrants – independent think tank MigrationWatchUK says that the number of migrants arriving in the UK from the EU alone is enough to fill a city the size of Manchester every four years.

Lorry drivers from Britain face a £2,000 fine if caught with an illegal immigrant on board their vehicle.

However, many lorry drivers are unaware that desperate migrants have climbed on board before they make the journey across the Channel.

Calais’s deputy mayor Philippe Mignonet said that between 10 and 30 migrants manage to cross to the UK every day from Calais. He is calling on the UK government to send British police to help patrol the port.

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