London - Nine illegal immigrants were discovered yesterday hidden underneath a Eurostar train from Paris, British Transport Police said.
Chief Inspector Ray Ratty of British Transport Police said passengers on the train raised the alarm after they heard frantic banging noises. Officers found the group stowed away after the high-speed train pulled into London's Waterloo station. The men and women were examined by a doctor before being handed over to immigration officials.
The Eurostar travels at speeds of up to 186 mph during its three-hour journey between Paris and London. The Paris depot where the train rested overnight was secure and kept under 24-hour guard, according to a Eurostar spokeswoman, Ms Daniella Fraser.
Ms Fraser said: "This is something we haven't had before, someone actually hiding beneath one of our trains.
"We don't know exactly how they managed it, but they obviously weren't just hanging on to the outside. It isn't feasible, they wouldn't have survived."