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Moment two migrants appear from hole cut in side of lorry in London

Moment two migrants appear feet-first from hole cut in side of lorry in west London before running off

  • Two suspected migrants emerged from side of lorry after cutting a hole in side 
  • Stowaways jumped out of opening after truck arrived in Hounslow, west London 
  • Witness claimed pair could be as young as 14 and ‘possibly from Afghanistan’
  • It is thought driver drove from Dover without realising they were on board

By Andrew Young For Mailonline[1] and Jack Wright For Mailonline[2]

Published: 13:04, 9 May 2021 | Updated: 13:22, 9 May 2021

This is the extraordinary moment two suspected migrants emerged feet first from the side of a Polish-registered lorry after cutting a hole in its side curtain.

The stowaways jumped out of the opening they made just five minutes after the truck arrived in a freight company yard in Hounslow, west London last week.

Video footage shows the pair dangling their legs out first before jumping down to the ground and running out of the yard at around 1pm on Thursday. 

It is thought that the lorry driver had crossed the Channel before driving 100 miles from Dover to Hounslow without realising they were on board.

An office worker who witnessed the scene from his desk claimed the stowaways could be as young as 14 and ‘possibly from Afghanistan’.

He said he looked out of his window overlooking the yard, only to see a leg ‘pop out’ of the newly cut hole. The witness rushed out in time to film the scene with his mobile phone as the second suspected migrant jumped out.

He described the incident as ‘shocking and unbelievable’, adding: ‘It took less than 30 seconds for them to jump out and run away. 

‘They both looked very young, possibly only 14 to 16-years-old, and possibly from Afghanistan. I had not seen anything like it before. 

‘It was like something you see on TV, and not in real life.’

He added that the lorry driver ‘ran out panicking’ after seeing the stowaways make their break for freedom.

The two suspected migrants had disappeared by the time police arrived a few minutes later.

The stowaways jumped out of the opening they made just five minutes after the truck arrived in a freight company yard in Hounslow, west London last week

The stowaways jumped out of the opening they made just five minutes after the truck arrived in a freight company yard in Hounslow, west London last week

The stowaways jumped out of the opening they made just five minutes after the truck arrived in a freight company yard in Hounslow, west London last week

The stowaways jumped out of the opening they made just five minutes after the truck arrived in a freight company yard in Hounslow, west London last week

The stowaways jumped out of the opening they made just five minutes after the truck arrived in a freight company yard in Hounslow, west London last week

This is the extraordinary moment two suspected migrants emerged feet first from the side of a Polish-registered lorry after cutting a hole in its side curtain

The driver was interviewed and insisted that he had no knowledge of his uninvited guests or how they sneaked on board.

Police stayed at the scene while the lorry’s cargo of boxes was unloaded so officers could check that nobody else was hiding in the vehicle.

The witness said he handed his mobile phone footage to officers, along with video from a CCTV camera which captured the pair leaving the lorry.

‘The police then stayed until the lorry was completely emptied, but nobody else was inside,’ he added. ‘The police questioned the driver, but said he likely had no involvement as the seals of the lorry were still intact.

‘Also if the driver had involvement the migrants would not have cut the side and jumped out causing damage to the lorry itself.’

Video footage shows the pair dangling their legs out first before jumping down to the ground and running out of the yard at around 1pm on Thursday

Video footage shows the pair dangling their legs out first before jumping down to the ground and running out of the yard at around 1pm on Thursday

Video footage shows the pair dangling their legs out first before jumping down to the ground and running out of the yard at around 1pm on Thursday

The two suspected migrants had disappeared by the time police arrived a few minutes later

The two suspected migrants had disappeared by the time police arrived a few minutes later

The two suspected migrants had disappeared by the time police arrived a few minutes later

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: ‘Police were called at 12:54hrs on Thursday, 6 May to Aerodrome Way in Hounslow to reports of suspicious behaviour.

‘Officers attended and were informed that two males were seen running away from a lorry.

‘An area search and CCTV review was conducted, however no arrests were made. Officers searched the lorry and found that no one else was inside.’

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for comment. 

It comes after nearly 200 migrants were intercepted by Border Force officials as they crossed the Channel last week – with the total number so far this year surpassing 2,100.

The Home Office confirmed that another 185 migrants attempted the journey in nine separate incidents.

These latest arrivals mean that the total number to make the crossing this year is now 2,293 – including 223 in January, 308 in February, 831 in March and 746 in April. 

French authorities prevented at least three events involving 40 migrants last Saturday.

Two Italian ports also faced an influx of hundreds of migrants after a charity ship sailed toward a Sicilian port with 236 people rescued in the Mediterranean from traffickers’ boats with a further 532 being rescued by the Italian coastguard.

In March, Priti Patel announced plans to overhaul Britain’s immigration regime by giving border guards patrolling the Channel greater powers to turn back migrant boats. 

The crackdown will be dependent on France and other countries accepting the return of migrants. 

The Government’s new plan for immigration, published in full on March 24, revealed the bill for the asylum system is set to rise to more than £1.3billion this year, from just under £1billion in 2019-20,

References

  1. ^ Andrew Young For Mailonline (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  2. ^ Jack Wright For Mailonline (www.dailymail.co.uk)

European Union

The French fishermen blockade in Jersey was a political spectacle – but we’re all sour on the Brexit deal – CityAM

Brexit provided a bright spotlight for ports and shipping. The latest dramatic escalation of tensions as French fisherman turned up, armed with flares, at the Jersey port of St Helier, has once again thrown fishing onto centre stage. 

Jersey is an easy target. They rely on an undersea cable, connected to France, for their electricity. In turn, French fishermen previously enjoyed unencumbered access to Jersey’s fishing waters, access foiled by a Brexit deal which means they must apply for a license. The French maritime minister Annick Girardin threatened to cut the power completely if Jersey did not relinquish red tape and let the trawlers back in. It’s an old-fashioned political skirmish. 

Given the ferocity of the standoff, you would be forgiven for thinking the fishing deal Britain eventually secured was worth fighting for. While the UK has a vibrant and active fishing industry, around 80 per cent of UK landings are exported. The overwhelming majority of these go to European markets and buyers.

The new customs and border controls at European ports which receive UK cargo mean there have been drastic changes for our exporters. New border processes impact transport times and, as a result, the quality and value of perishable cargoes.

Fish landed in Scotland, the South West of England or Wales were previously ferried across by lorry to Boulogne and Zeebrugge.  Documentary requirements, new procedures and costly delays have created significant teething difficulties. Similar controls will be introduced at UK ports in January 2022.

Indeed at the turn of this year some fishing activities were threatened because of a lack of confidence in the process. There was a partial collapse of certain fish prices in the UK and a number of British fishing vessels wound up landing their catches in European ports to avoid the issues created by Brexit. 

So what, you may ask? Well this was and is costly to those ports and coastal communities in the UK and to those sectors who rely on fish landings and associated maritime activities. In other words: jobs and revenue. The French fishermen aren’t the only ones sour about the deal. 

Much was made by certain sections of the fishing industry about the positives of Brexit but the UK’s departure has created new headaches for the sector. Standoffs in the channel are not new. Aggression in the waters and the ports is an age-old tradition fishermen have not tired of. But it is bad for business and bad for jobs. 

For a place like Jersey, their ports are a lifeline. The drums of war in St Helier should be a warning for leaders to prioritise diplomacy over a political spectacle.