A 22-year-old migrant has died in northern France after attempting to jump from the roof of a motorway toll booth onto a moving lorry heading toward Britain.
The tragic incident happened at around 2:40 a.m. Sunday at the Setques toll plaza in Pas-de-Calais, according to French prosecutors. The man was reportedly attempting to climb aboard the Britain-bound vehicle when the desperate attempt went horribly wrong.
The young man had climbed onto the structure above the toll area before trying to leap onto the roof of a passing heavy goods vehicle.
He failed to reach the lorry and fell onto the road below.
Emergency services were called to the scene, but the 22-year-old could not be saved. His death was subsequently treated as an accident after investigators examined CCTV footage of what happened.
Another person who was reportedly at the scene managed to successfully get onto the same vehicle, highlighting the dangerous lengths some migrants take in attempts to reach Britain.
The Setques toll plaza is located away from the immediate Calais port area, but the wider Pas-de-Calais region has long been a major staging point for migrants hoping to cross the English Channel.
Many people attempting to reach Britain try to hide inside or climb onto trucks traveling toward ports in northern France. The journey can be extremely dangerous, particularly when vehicles are already moving.
The latest death comes amid continued attempts by migrants to cross from France to Britain despite extensive security measures around the Channel ports.
Calais and surrounding areas have seen years of efforts by French and British authorities to prevent people from secretly boarding vehicles. Fences, surveillance systems and increased police patrols have been introduced around key routes, while authorities have also worked with freight companies to improve security.
Despite those measures, migrants continue to look for alternative ways to reach Britain.
For people who have already traveled thousands of miles from countries affected by conflict, poverty and instability, the final stage of the journey can become particularly desperate.
The death of the Sudanese man is another reminder of the potentially fatal consequences of attempting to board moving vehicles.
Authorities have closed the investigation into the incident after determining that the death was accidental. His body was reportedly returned to his family.
The incident is also likely to renew debate in Britain and France over how to address irregular migration and the dangers faced by people attempting to cross the Channel.
For now, the tragedy leaves one young man dead and another reminder of how dangerous the journey toward Britain can become.