Ending Calais crisis is top priority: UK, France

Ending the crisis that has seen thousands of attempts by migrants to reach England from Calais in recent weeks is a “top priority”, the interior ministers of France and Britain wrote in a joint statement on Sunday.

Both countries are committed to tackling the problem together and have beefed up security to deter further bids by desperate migrants to smuggle themselves to Britain via the Channel Tunnel, the statement said –a risky undertaking it said had caused “serious injuries and, tragically, deaths”.

Tackling this situation is the top priority for the UK and French governments. We are committed and determined to solve this, and to solve it together,” Bernard Cazeneuve and his British counterpart Theresa May wrote in a statement published in France’s Journal Du Dimanche and in Britain’s Telegraph newspaper.

Hundreds of migrants have tried to make it into the undersea tunnel in recent weeks in the hopes of finding a way onto a train or lorry headed for Britain. At least 10 migrants have died attempting the dangerous journey since June.