Human smuggling

Belgian police fire at British car after fatal 125mph chase with 'smugglers trying to force lorry drivers to take migrants to UK'

British-registered car carrying a gang of suspected people smugglers was raked with gunfire by Belgian police on Thursday after being involved a high-speed motorway chase in which an innocent motorcylist was killed.

Police gave chase after the car's occupants had earlier threatened British-bound lorry drivers at knife point in a bid to let them put stowaways in their vehicles, prosecutors said.

The car was hit with at least 15 bullets as it fled police at speeds of up to 125mph across the Belgian-French border.

During the chase, in which the suspects weaved in and out of traffic, a string of other accidents were caused. One involved a motorcylist who died after losing control of his bike and hitting a lorry.