A long way from Congo: Desperate migrants brave treacherous Alpine terrain and temperatures as low as -9C to make the crossing into France

  • A group of migrants crossed the Italian Alps yesterday in a bid to reach France amid freezing conditions
  • Heavy snowfall meant many migrants were particularly ill-equipped for the journey, some in thin trainers
  • Easier routes into the country have been blocked to undocumented migrants forcing them to face the terrain
  • In Bardonecchia, Italy, three men were seen pausing after battling the terrain in temperatures as low as -9C

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Making their way through deep snow yesterday, a group of migrants cross the Italian Alps in a bid to reach France amid perilous conditions.

Extremely heavy snowfall has left many migrants particularly ill-equipped for the journey – with some wearing thin canvas trainers in the freezing conditions.

Hundreds have attempted the route over the last year, using dangerous paths through the mountains in an attempt to evade border security. Rescuers in northern Italy last month said the situation had reached ‘emergency levels’ and called for more security measures near the border. 

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A migrant in jeans and trainers walks in the snow after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain, in Bardonecchia, Turin, Northern Italy

A migrant in jeans and trainers walks in the snow after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain, in Bardonecchia, Turin, Northern Italy

Abdullhai, 38, from Guinea, is helped by a friend as they try to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Bardonecchia

Abdullhai, 38, from Guinea, is helped by a friend as they try to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Bardonecchia

After the police reinforced the Frejus and and Ventimiglia borders, many migrants are trying to find other ways to reach the French border, risking their lives in freezing temperatures through snow-covered passes

After the police reinforced the Frejus and and Ventimiglia borders, many migrants are trying to find other ways to reach the French border, risking their lives in freezing temperatures through snow-covered passes

Migrants walks in the snow with inappropriate shoes during another attempt to reach the French border through the Colle della Scala mountain pass in Bardonecchia

Migrants walks in the snow with inappropriate shoes during another attempt to reach the French border through the Colle della Scala mountain pass in Bardonecchia

A migrant takes off shoes after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain. Hundreds have attempted the route in Bardonecchia over the past year

A migrant takes off shoes after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain. Hundreds have attempted the route in Bardonecchia over the past year

Rescuers in northern Italy last month said the situation had reached ‘emergency levels’ and called for more security measures near the border

Rescuers in northern Italy last month said the situation had reached ‘emergency levels’ and called for more security measures near the border

A migrant rests after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache in southeastern France

A migrant rests after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache in southeastern France

A man washes himself in a cold river after spending the night under a highway bypass from where migrants  prepare to attempt to cross the Italian border into France, in the Mediterranean coastal town of Ventimiglia, northern Italy

A man washes himself in a cold river after spending the night under a highway bypass from where migrants prepare to attempt to cross the Italian border into France, in the Mediterranean coastal town of Ventimiglia, northern Italy

Migrants walk through snow after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache 

Migrants walk through snow after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache 

Snow covers the beginning of a mountain pass from where migrants try to cross from Italy into France, near the town of Bardonecchia

Snow covers the beginning of a mountain pass from where migrants try to cross from Italy into France, near the town of Bardonecchia

A sign that warns of avalanche dangers protrudes from the snow on a mountain pass where migrants try to cross from Italy into France, near the town of Bardonecchia

A sign that warns of avalanche dangers protrudes from the snow on a mountain pass where migrants try to cross from Italy into France, near the town of Bardonecchia

Abdullhai, 38, from Guinea, attempts to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the French town of Nevache

Abdullhai, 38, from Guinea, attempts to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the French town of Nevache

Aid volunteers from the Italian Catholic relief organisation Caritas give hot tea and bread with jam to a group of migrants in the Mediterranean coastal town of Ventimiglia, northern Italy

Aid volunteers from the Italian Catholic relief organisation Caritas give hot tea and bread with jam to a group of migrants in the Mediterranean coastal town of Ventimiglia, northern Italy

Migrants walk through snow as they attempt to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Bardonecchia in northern Italy

Migrants walk through snow as they attempt to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Bardonecchia in northern Italy

Easier routes between the two countries have been blocked to undocumented migrants, forcing some to higher altitudes to try to escape detection.

The journeys are made harder by what French forecasters have described as the kind of snowfall only seen ‘once in every 30 years’, with up to 6ft in 36 hours in parts of the Alps.

Many migrants making the journey this winter have endured the conditions without weatherproof clothing, having come from far hotter countries.

In Bardonecchia, Italy, three men were seen pausing after battling the treacherous terrain in temperatures as low as -9C (15F).

The group, attempting to cross into France, included a 24-year-old Senegalese man, a 31-year-old from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and a 37-year-old from Pakistan. They had managed to cross the border but were too weak to continue and were returned to Italy.

Migrants began heading across the mountains last spring as the French authorities tightened up on attempts to cross in the coastal Ventimiglia area. The new route involves a seven-mile trek at altitudes of up to 5,500ft. 

A helicopter belonging to the French police searches for migrants attempting to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near Bardonecchia

A helicopter belonging to the French police searches for migrants attempting to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near Bardonecchia

A migrant walks in the snow after failing to cross from Italy to France wearing only a thin coat and thin shoes in Bardonecchia

A migrant walks in the snow after failing to cross from Italy to France wearing only a thin coat and thin shoes in Bardonecchia

Cars pass through a tunnel on the Italian-French border from where migrants have attempted to pass into France, near the Mediterranean coastal town of Ventimiglia in northern Italy

Cars pass through a tunnel on the Italian-French border from where migrants have attempted to pass into France, near the Mediterranean coastal town of Ventimiglia in northern Italy

Migrants discuss their day having crossed part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, in the shelter centre of the organisation Tous Migrants (All Migrants) in the town of Briancon in southeastern France

Migrants discuss their day having crossed part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, in the shelter centre of the organisation Tous Migrants (All Migrants) in the town of Briancon in southeastern France

Abdullhai, 38 (right) and Abu, 23 (front left), migrants from Guinea, talk and use their mobile phones in their room the day after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, in the shelter centre of the organisation Tous Migrants

Abdullhai, 38 (right) and Abu, 23 (front left), migrants from Guinea, talk and use their mobile phones in their room the day after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, in the shelter centre of the organisation Tous Migrants

Discarded clothes are seen by a mountain pass near the Italian-French border from where migrants have attempted to pass into France, near Ventimiglia

Discarded clothes are seen by a mountain pass near the Italian-French border from where migrants have attempted to pass into France, near Ventimiglia

A man prays on a river bank after spending the night under a highway bypass from where migrants of mostly North African origins prepare to attempt to cross the Italian border into France, in Ventimiglia, northern Italy

A man prays on a river bank after spending the night under a highway bypass from where migrants of mostly North African origins prepare to attempt to cross the Italian border into France, in Ventimiglia, northern Italy

Abdurahman, a migrant from Guinea, walks in snow after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache in southeastern France

Abdurahman, a migrant from Guinea, walks in snow after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache in southeastern France

A migrant walks in the snow after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain, in Bardonecchia, Italy

A migrant walks in the snow after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain, in Bardonecchia, Italy

A migrant takes off shoes after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain, in Bardonecchia

A migrant takes off shoes after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain, in Bardonecchia

A migrant takes off shoes after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain

A migrant takes off shoes after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain

 Rescuers have said they expect to find bodies of African migrants who died crossing the Alps when snows melt in spring.

They added that up to a dozen now reach France by crossing the mountain range each day. There are two mountain tunnels that can be used on the route but police often lie in wait at the French side to apprehend migrants and return them to Bardonecchia by bus.

In 2017, 171,635 migrants arrived in Europe by boat from the Middle East and Africa, down from 363,504 in 2016 and 1million in 2015.

The International Organisation for Migration estimates 20,000 have died in the Mediterranean sea while trying to reach Italy.

Abdullhai, 38, from Guinea, rests after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache

Abdullhai, 38, from Guinea, rests after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache

Abdullhai, 38 (left), and Abdurahman, migrants from Guinea walk along with another group as they pass an Italian man during an attempt to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France

Abdullhai, 38 (left), and Abdurahman, migrants from Guinea walk along with another group as they pass an Italian man during an attempt to cross part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France

Migrants, mostly from North Africa, climb mountains in order to cross part of the Alps range to reach France from Italy

Migrants, mostly from North Africa, climb mountains in order to cross part of the Alps range to reach France from Italy

French police bring back migrants they picked up at the railway station in Bardonecchia, Italy and bring them back into France

French police bring back migrants they picked up at the railway station in Bardonecchia, Italy and bring them back into France

Migrants travel on a train as they attempt to reach the border with France, near Bardonecchia in northern Italy

Migrants travel on a train as they attempt to reach the border with France, near Bardonecchia in northern Italy

A migrant stands in the snow after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain

A migrant stands in the snow after failing to cross from Italy to France due to too much snow on the mountain

Migrants mostly from the Darfur region of western Sudan warm up by a fire under a highway bypass where they have been sheltering from the weather

Migrants mostly from the Darfur region of western Sudan warm up by a fire under a highway bypass where they have been sheltering from the weather

Migrants rest after having crossed part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache in southeastern France

Migrants rest after having crossed part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache in southeastern France

Kamarra, 28 (left), from Guinea and a group of other migrants rest and warm up by a fire in a cave after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache

Kamarra, 28 (left), from Guinea and a group of other migrants rest and warm up by a fire in a cave after crossing part of the Alps mountain range from Italy into France, near the town of Nevache

Migrants mostly from Darfur, Western Sudan, warm up under a highway bypass where they have been sheltering from the weather as they prepare to cross the Italian border into France

Migrants mostly from Darfur, Western Sudan, warm up under a highway bypass where they have been sheltering from the weather as they prepare to cross the Italian border into France

 

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