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Channel Tunnel Shuts Down After Migrants Reportedly Hide in Trains

© AFP 2023 / Philippe HuguenA picture taken on February 10, 2014 near Coquelles, northern France, shows the entrance of the Eurotunnel
A picture taken on February 10, 2014 near Coquelles, northern France, shows the entrance of the Eurotunnel - Sputnik International
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The only rail link between England and France was shut down on Friday night after migrants stormed the loading platforms and possibly hid in the trains traveling to Britain.

Traffic in the tunnel between England and France was shut down on Friday night after migrants made multiple attempts to illegally enter the platforms, French daily Parisien reported.

The Channel Tunnel, which lies below the English Channel, is the only rail link between Britain and France. The city of Calais on the French side of the tunnel has been experiencing issues with some 3,000 migrants attempting to travel to Britain after striking port workers shut down the city's port and for a time, also the Channel Tunnel.

According to a local government official, the local police are checking the trains for migrants hiding in the cars which are loaded onto the trains.

"We must make sure and look through each car and each train," the official told the newspaper.

A seagull flies past he car ferry terminal in Calais, northern France, Monday, June 29, 2015. - Sputnik International
Welcome to Calais: A Hellhole for Migrants, Passengers and Striking Workers
The official added that around 150 migrants attempted to enter the platforms after 10:30 p.m. local time on Friday.

Earlier this week, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and UK Home Secretary Theresa May agreed to boost cooperation on the situation with undocumented migrants in the Calais port.

In recent years, Calais, once popular among British tourists as a weekend holiday destination, has seen the establishment of tent cities by migrants from countries such as Eritrea, Sudan and Ethiopia who hope to make it to the UK.

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