22-Year-Old Sudanese Illegal Migrant Gets the Unexpected After Attempting to Jump onto the Roof of a Moving Lorry Travelling Towards Britain

A 22-year-old Sudanese migrant has died after attempting to jump onto the roof of a moving lorry that was believed to be travelling towards Britain.

The tragic incident happened at around 2.40am on Sunday at the Setques toll plaza in the Pas-de-Calais area of northern France. The young man had climbed onto the top of a road toll booth and was waiting for an opportunity to get onto a passing vehicle.

When a lorry drove underneath him, he tried to leap from the structure onto its roof. However, he failed to land on the vehicle and fell heavily onto the road behind it.

Emergency services quickly arrived and found that the young man had suffered extremely serious injuries. He was taken to the University Hospital of Lille in a critical condition, where doctors tried to save his life. Sadly, he died later on Sunday afternoon.

Authorities examined CCTV footage from the toll plaza as part of their investigation. The recording reportedly showed the migrant trying to land on the roof of the moving lorry before falling onto the road.

Another person who was with him had successfully jumped onto the same vehicle only moments earlier. It is believed the 22-year-old then attempted to follow that person, but the second jump ended in tragedy.

An investigation was opened to establish exactly how the young man died and whether anyone else was responsible. However, prosecutors said the CCTV footage strongly suggested that his death was caused by an accident. The case was later closed without any further action being taken.

After the necessary official procedures were completed, the young man’s body was returned to his family.

Migrants in northern France have continued trying to reach Britain by climbing onto or hiding inside lorries travelling towards the port of Calais and the Channel Tunnel. Some wait near roads, service areas and traffic points where vehicles are forced to slow down or stop.

These attempts can be extremely dangerous because the lorries may still be moving when people try to climb onto them. Migrants also face the risk of falling under vehicles, being crushed, suffering serious injuries or becoming trapped inside trailers.

Security around Calais, the port and the Channel Tunnel has been increased over the years. Fences, cameras, police patrols and other measures have been introduced to stop people from secretly entering Britain-bound vehicles. Despite these controls, some migrants continue to take serious risks in the hope of reaching the UK.

In recent years, many people have also attempted to cross the English Channel in small and overcrowded boats. These journeys are extremely dangerous because the vessels are often unsuitable for the sea and may be carrying far more people than they were designed to hold.

Since the beginning of January, at least 16 people have reportedly died at sea near the French coast while trying to cross the Channel. Three others have died on land during attempts to reach the UK.

However, the number of migrants crossing the Channel during the summer reportedly fell to its lowest level since 2020. Figures showed that 6,949 people made the journey between June and August. The number of boats arriving in Britain also dropped to its lowest summer level since 2019.

Some critics said poor weather was one of the main reasons for the fall. However, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said stronger cooperation between Britain, France and other countries had started to disrupt the criminal gangs arranging the crossings.

She said authorities had been targeting the supply of boats, life jackets and outboard motors used by people smugglers. The Government also pointed to a £662 million agreement with France, which included plans to place more officers on French beaches and introduce new ways of stopping boats before they reach the Channel.

According to the reported figures, 16,391 migrants have crossed from France to the UK so far this year. This was said to be 43 per cent lower than during the same period last year and 18 per cent lower than during the same period in 2024.

Ms Mahmood said the Government was determined to restore control at the UK border. She said the lower number of crossings recorded in June, July and August showed that its work was beginning to have an effect, but she admitted that much more still needed to be done.

She also promised that the Government would continue targeting the criminal gangs behind the dangerous journeys. She said ministers would try to remove the reasons that encourage people to enter Britain through unsafe and illegal routes.

Small-boat crossings are expected to remain an important issue in discussions between the British and French governments. Officials say both countries want to continue working together to reduce the number of people making the dangerous journey.

The Government is also expected to continue with the one-in, one-out arrangement with France. The scheme was introduced as a way of discouraging migrants from crossing the Channel in small boats.

The number of crossings recorded by August 30 was reportedly 46 per cent lower than in August last year, making it the lowest August figure since records began in 2018.

July also recorded the lowest number of crossings for that month since 2019, with the figure said to be 64 per cent lower than in 2025. June recorded its lowest total since 2019, falling by 50 per cent compared with the previous year.

Despite the fall in the overall number of summer crossings, the Government has continued to face criticism over its handling of the Channel situation.

Earlier in August, a record 230 migrants reportedly arrived in the UK on a single small boat. The number of people on the vessel was greater than the passenger capacity of some Boeing 737 aircraft.

The boat travelled from France on August 10 and was said to measure about 49 feet from front to back. It was seven feet longer than boats that had set previous records in July and more than ten feet longer than a normal double-decker bus.

The Conservatives criticised the Home Secretary following the arrival and described the Government’s handling of the situation as a complete failure.

The death of the young Sudanese man has once again shown the serious dangers faced by people trying to reach Britain through unsafe routes. Whether they attempt to hide inside lorries, jump onto moving vehicles or cross the Channel in small boats, these journeys can end in severe injury or death.