News / France

Refugees overrun Calais harbor, forcefully boarding UK ferry

Saturday, 23 January 2016 9:54 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 23 January 2016 10:05 PM ]

Migrants march on January 23, 2016 in the port city of Calais in northern France. (AFP)

The northern French port of Calais has been shut down after hundreds of refugees storm its harbor and forcefully board a British ship.

Around 30 to 40 refugees boarded the "Spirit of Britain" ferry, run by the P&O ferries company, on Saturday evening and blocked its front gangway in an attempt to prevent police from entering the ship.

*Image shows water cannons being used on board a British ship in an effort to get migrants to disembark on January 23, 2016 in the French port city of Calais.*

According to a statement by the company, the ship had just arrived from the city of Dover on the UK side of the channel and apart from "a few trucks" there was nothing else aboard during the incident.

Port officials announced 24 refugees and 11 pro-migrant activists were arrested after police finally boarded the ship.

*Migrants march on January 23, 2016 in the French port city of Calais, northern France, (AFP)*

The incident took place while some 500 migrants broke through police lines during a 2,000-strong protest against living conditions in the port’s refugee camps.

“The proximity of the camp and the unprecedented number of migrants make it impossible to secure the (port) infrastructure, however much the state invests,' said port director Jean-Marc Puissesseau.

The protest came as British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn was visiting the region which is the temporary home of around 4,000 migrants trying to gain entry into the UK.

The situation in Calais is part of a wider refugee crisis across Europe. Officials in the European countries reportedly remain divided over how to deal with refugees, most of whom are fleeing conflict-hit zones in the Middle East and Africa.

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