A stowaway who died after jumping into the Channel may have been an asylum-seeker who mistakenly thought he was heading to Britain.
Wafo Narcis, 25, from the Ivory Coast, jumped into the sea off Eastbourne after escaping from the ship's jail just after 2.30am yesterday.
A search involving a helicopter and British warship was launched but Narcis panicked and jumped when he was spotted on the upper deck of the container vessel Patricia Delmas as it travelled from Antwerp to Le Havre in France.
Coastguards believe Narcis thought the container ship was heading to Britain and not France.
A spokesman said: "We don't know why he stowed away because he was only going from Belgium to France, which seems daft.
"It is possible he thought the ship was coming to England where he may have wanted to claim asylum."
Narcis was put in the ship's jail after being spotted by crew.
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