Eurostar service disrupted overnight as migrants crisis escalates
Eurostar trains experienced long delays overnight, leaving hundreds of passengers trapped on a train for up to 14 hours. Passengers said they were left on a dark train in “horrendous conditions.”
The Eurostar train was halted after trespassers climbed on train about 2 km from the Channel Tunnel.
A Eurostar spokesperson apologised for the inconvenience caused to the passengers.
"Our staff have been on hand today and through the night to provide as much support and care as possible to arriving customers and to advise on compensation," she added.
Our sincere apologies to all those affected by the disruptions and for the difficult conditions encountered.
— Eurostar (@Eurostar) September 2, 2015
About 3,000 to 4,000 migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa are believed to be camped near Calais, and have disrupted freight transport between UK and France throughout the summer.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron said "taking more and more refugees" was not the answer to the EU's current migration crisis.
Read more: EC to allow UK to escape asylum quota system
In addition, twenty migrants were found inside a lorry at a ferry terminal in North Shields on Wednesday, after travelling to the UK from the Netherlands off a DFDS ferry on Tuesday, the Home Office confirmed.
"Two claiming to be minors have been passed to social services for age-assessment and two adults are in immigration detention while their cases are progressed," a Home Office spokesman said.
Read more: Austrian police arrest three suspects after 71 bodies found in lorry
A DFDS spokesman added: "We can confirm that a group of clandestines were discovered and detained at North Shields.
"We are not able to comment further on this case as this is now a matter for the authorities."
Europe is currently experiencing what is said to be the worst migration crisis since the Second World War. Hundreds of migrants rallied outside Budapest's Eastern Railway Terminus on Tuesday demanding to be allowed to travel to Germany, amid division between the European Union leaders on how to handle the migration crisis.
Read more: Wave of migrants arrives in Germany amid EU asylum rules crisis
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