Body found in Channel Tunnel

The body was taken to France for post mortem

The body of a man has been found in the French section of the Channel Tunnel.

It was most likely a stowaway who fell from a train

Eurotunnel spokesman Francois Borel

It was discovered by tunnel maintenance workers at about 0330 (0230 GMT) on Monday morning, about 14 miles from the French terminal.

Police took the body back to France for a post mortem examination.

Eurotunnel has confirmed that the man was not a member of staff, and was not employed by a sub-contractor.

Refugees

"The body of this man was discovered on the tracks, between the rails," said Eurotunnel spokesman, Francois Borel.

"It was most likely a stowaway who fell from a train."

The man's age and nationality have not been determined.

He had no documents, but was carrying UK telephone numbers which police are now calling.

He is thought to have been dead for between 24 and 48 hours prior to discovery.

Freight traffic is regularly disrupted by asylum seekers who stow away in France in hope of reaching Britain.

Eurotunnel says it intercepted about 18,500 refugees trying to cross the tunnel in the first half of 2001 alone.

Second death

The French news agency, AFP, says it the second accidental death in the tunnel this year.

Last month, an illegal immigrant trying to reach Britain was electrocuted and killed while travelling on the roof of a freight train heading toward the tunnel.

Last year, at least seven people died attempting to sneak through the tunnel, and more than 100 were injured, according to the French Interior Ministry.

Eurotunnel last week announced a 188 million euro ($164m) loss for last year, in part caused by the high cost of trying to prevent the nightly attempts by the immigrants to cross to the UK.

The company has unsuccessfully sought to close the Sangatte refugee camp run by the Red Cross near the mouth of the tunnel in France.

The request was turned down by a French court earlier this month.