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France: 4 migrants drown in English Channel

July 12, 2024

Maritime authorities in France said four people have drowned after a boat capsized in the English Channel. Thousands of people attempt the dangerous journey by sea each year, often in overloaded, inflatable dinghies.

https://p.dw.com/p/4iCZg
Several dozen migrants pictured in June attempting to cross the English Channel
Thousands of people make perilous attempts to cross the Channel each year Image: Johan Ben Azzouz/Photopqr/Voix du Nord/MAXPPP/dpa/picture alliance

Police in France said that four migrants drowned in the Channel off Boulogne sur Mer along the northern coast on Friday.

Maritime authorities said the victims had been attempting an overnight crossing to Britain.

The AFP news agency, citing maritime police, reported that a naval patrol vessel traveled to the area after receiving an alert that several people had fallen into the sea. A helicopter winched four people out of the water, but they were already dead, while some were rescued alive.

A spokesperson for France's coastguard was cited by the Reuters news agency as saying there were a total of 67 people on board the vessel and 63 were rescued in an operation involving four ships and a helicopter.

In April, five migrants drowned in the English Channel during a crossing attempt.

Migrants in France face heightened controls

Dangerous crossing attempted by thousands annually

Each year, thousands of people attempt dangerous journeys by sea in overloaded, flimsy inflatable dinghies to get to Britain's coast.

In 2023, more than 29,000 migrants made the dangerous crossing, according to Migration Watch UK, representing a fall of about one-third compared to 2022.

The largest number of deaths in a single incident took place in November 2021, when at least 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank in the Channel.

Over 480 irregular migrant arrivals in July — UK Home Office

According to figures from the UK Home Office, over 480 migrants have arrived irregularly in 7 boats during July so far.

"Everyone wants to see an end to the dangerous small boat crossings," a Home Office spokesperson said Wednesday. "They are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk."

The spokesperson went on to say that efforts were underway to "smash the people smuggling gangs responsible for this trade" and that a new Border Security Command was being established "to bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies."

They would be equipped with new counter-terror-style powers, the UK Home Office said.

kb/sms (AFP, Reuters)