Eurotunnel: over 37,000 migrants blocked since January

Eurotunnel said on Wednesday that it has blocked over 37,000 migrants trying to enter its French premises and make their way to Britain since January and spent €13 million ($14 million) on boosting security.

The company that manages the tunnel under the Channel also called for more help in dealing with the migrant crisis at the French port of Calais as incursions on its premises increase.

Eurotunnel said that since migrants began appearing in Calais, going to extreme lengths to smuggle themselves into Britain, it had spent over €160 million on additional security such as guards, fencing, lighting and cameras.

"To make up for the lack of resources of state security forces in Calais, Eurotunnel has for example gone as far as putting buses at their disposal to transport the migrants caught" on the premises, read the Eurotunnel statement.

Also using its own resources, Eurotunnel blocked 37,000 migrants, handing them over to police and filing thousands of complaints in the local court.

"The pressure we are now under every night exceeds that which an operator can reasonably handle, and calls for an appropriate reaction from the states" of France and Britain, Eurotunnel said in a statement.    (AFP)

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