A young migrant was found dead in the Durance river on Sunday morning near Briançon (Hautes-Alpes) after crossing the border from Italy with a companion rescued “in hypothermia” by firefighters, several sources indicated on Monday. Heard as a witness, the one who had crossed the border with the victim during the night from Saturday to Sunday declared that it was an “accidental” fall, indicated the Gap prosecutor’s office. He was found “in hypothermia” by emergency services on Sunday and was still in hospital Monday morning, according to the same source.
Third victim since the border was strengthened this summer
This witness explained that “it was dark, they were passing there without knowing the area well and he heard that his friend had fallen” into the river. After the fall, the latter would no longer have responded to calls, said the Gap prosecutor’s office without specifying the nationality of the two exiles. The Hautes-Alpes firefighters intervened shortly after 8 a.m. on Sunday, alerted by local residents who had heard the echo of “screams since three in the morning” in the valley, they indicated. An investigation was entrusted to the Briançon police to determine whether the victim died “from the fall or drowning”, according to the Gap prosecutor’s office.
The young migrant “who fell from a rock” is “the third victim since this summer and the strengthening of law enforcement” along the border, for his part indicated Michel Rousseau, treasurer of the association. All Migrants. Since June 1, France has deployed a border force on the Franco-Italian border, with reinforcements of personnel, support from soldiers from Operation Sentinel and drones with thermal cameras. In mid-September, the Ministry of the Interior announced its decision to “strengthen” border controls by increasing police and gendarmerie personnel from 500 to 700.