Twelve people have died in the English Channel after a migrant boat sank off the French Coast, at Cape Gris-Nez, near Boulogne-sur-Mer.
These were 10 women (one of whom was pregnant), 2 men, and 6 children.
50 others were rescued. 2 are in critical condition.
8 people were wearing life jackets.
Officials say the boat was overloaded and that its bottom “ripped open”.
This is the deadliest loss of life in the Channel in 2024. Since the beginning of 2024, 42 people have died crossing the English Channel – with 45 dying in 2021.
Over 21,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in 2024. In 2022, over 45,000 crossed.
One source suggested a Syrian smuggler might have been involved, reports the BBC. Smugglers get more people on unsafe dinghies than is legal, bypassing coast authorities. The UK and the Eu intend to work on a treaty to buckle down against these gang acts. The EU and the UK have expressed plans to buckle down against these gang acts. Both Labour and Conservative governments have pledged to control the situation soon.
