Migrant drowns trying to swim to Britain
THE illegal immigrant, who was of Asian origin, was wearing a wetsuit and carrying a compass when her body was discovered on a beach.
Steve MyallDeputy Features Editor
THE body of a refugee who tried to swim to Britain has been found on a beach.
The woman drowned as she tried to swim 21 miles across the Channel from France.
Her body was washed ashore in northern France.
The illegal immigrant, who was of Asian origin, was wearing a wetsuit and carrying a compass.
Boulogne public prosecutor Jean-Philippe Joubert said: "The body was spotted by a passer-by. We found clothes in a bag on cliffs above the beach.
"She was prepared for long-distance swimming, with Vaseline on her skin to prevent irritations.
"She also had more clothes in a plastic bag underneath her wetsuit and a pocket containing energy food bars."
The body was found near the town of Wimereux on Sunday.
She is thought to have been one of around 1000 illegal immigrants living in northern France. A Calais police spokesman added: "This is the first time we have ever seen any illegal immigrant actually try to swim the Channel, although there may have been successful attempts that we don't know about."