Four Iranians trying to reach Britain intercepted off French coast

AFP: Four Iranians who tried to reach Britain aboard an inflatable raft were intercepted early Monday by French police near the Channel port of Calais, officials said.
The four men, aged 17 to 32, were found on a raft made for
just two people, police said. AFP

CALAIS, France – Four Iranians who tried to reach Britain aboard an inflatable raft were intercepted early Monday by French police near the Channel port of Calais, officials said.

The four men, aged 17 to 32, were found on a raft made for just two people, police said.

The illegal immigrants were spotted at around 3:00 am (0100 GMT) by a ship from Calais, about three miles (five kilometers) off the French coast, and were picked up by police a short time later.

The men, who were beginning to suffer from hypothermia, were taken to a Calais hospital for treatment. They told police they were Iranian nationals.

“They had no chance of succeeding” in reaching the British coast, police said. “If they had not been rescued, they would have capsized and drowned.”

Dozens of illegal immigrants are constantly milling around Calais in hopes of crossing the English Channel to Britain, but their attempts rarely succeed.

Four years ago, a group almost reached British shores on board a regular boat before being intercepted by the British coast guard.