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Migrants in Channel Tunnel disrupt trains traffic, block hundreds of passengers

Xinhua, September 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

A fresh attempts of migrants to stream to Britain via the Eurotunnel prompted chaos at the channel tunnel where six Eurostar-high speed trains were blocked and passengers were stranded for long hours overnight.

At 5 a.m. local time (0300 GMT), 700 people were still stranded on the banks of the Calais-Frethun station due to "the presence of trespassers on the tracks at the French entrance of the Eurotunnel site", a Eurostar official was quoted as saying by the BFMTV news channel.

According to Eurostart tweet, "a rescue train arrived in Calais" four hours later and the passengers of the delayed train arrived in London St Pancras station.

Earlier on Wednesday, three of the trains went on to London early, while two others returned to their original departure stations in London and Paris, it added.

Thousands of migrants from Africa and the Middle East fled war and poverty in their native countries and were seeking better life in Europe.

They were risking their lives by trying to board lorries and trains heading to Britain. Nine migrants were killed while trying to cross to the city since early June.

The European Commission' s vice president, while visiting Calais last week, said the commission would grant France 5 million euros (about 5.65 million U. S. dollars) to help build a new centre expected to host 1,500 migrants in the French northern port city, where reports said 3,000 people were camping out, hoping to reach Britain. Endit