The refugee crisis killed Eurotunnel's freight traffic by 33%

Europe is in the middle of the worst refugee crisis since World War II.

Around 700,000 refugees from Syria and other Middle Eastern and African nations are estimated to be arriving in Europe this year and the United Nations forecasted the same amount of asylum seekers for 2016 in Europe.

When some refugees get to France, they head to Calais where some 5,000 migrants are camped out and waiting to get into the UK. One of the ways in which refugees try to come into Britain is through a tunnel that bridges France and the UK underneath the Channel Sea.

However this is now killing the traffic of the operator of the passage, Eurotunnel, because of the security risks.

Eurotunnel revealed in its third quarter trading statement that refugees trying to either break into trucks to illegally enter Britain via the tunnel and those trying to walk through the tunnels themselves have contributed to a huge 33% fall in the number of freight trains using the tunnel during that period.

Rail freight tonnage also tumbled 27% year-on-year.

The group added it is taking a number of measures, helped by the British and French governments, to mitigate some of the security risks the refugee crisis is creating.

"Eurotunnel is completing the installation of 29 km of high security fences. Security personnel have been doubled to nearly 250 people, including dog teams," said Eurotunnel.

However, it wasn't all bad news. Eurotunnel managed to post a 3% rise in revenue to €334.4 million (£246 million, $379 million) due to the recovering economy in Britain meaning more people were using the service.

"Eurotunnel's revenues have increased despite the migrant pressure which affects the Port of Calais and the Channel Tunnel," said Jacques Gounon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Groupe Eurotunnel SE.

"Eurotunnel appreciates the support of the British and French governments for this vital link for the European economy and the circulation of people."