Five asylum seekers lost their lives while attempting to cross the English Channel from France to Britain in a heavily packed small vessel on Tuesday, Al Jazeera said.
This occurred shortly after the UK government sanctioned a bill allowing for the deportation of certain asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Departing from Wimereux, approximately 32km (20 miles) southwest of the French port of Calais, the vessel, carrying 112 individuals, embarked on its journey across one of the globe’s most bustling shipping lanes. Despite rescuers managing to retrieve 49 individuals and transporting four to hospital, several others opted to remain aboard the vessel and proceed with their voyage towards Britain.
Local prefect Jacques Billant said, “A tragedy occurred on a boat overloaded with migrants early this morning. We deplore the deaths of five people, a seven-year-old girl, a woman and three men.”
“The engine stopped a few hundred metres away from the shore, and several people fell into the water,” Billant added.
The French coastguard reported that 58 individuals remained aboard, and efforts were ongoing to locate any additional survivors, Al Jazeera said.
“They did not want to be rescued. They managed to restart the engine and headed towards Britain,” Billant said.
According to reports more than 6,000 individuals have reached Britain via small, overcrowded boats, risking perilous conditions and rough waters during their journey.
According to Al Jazeera, the UK government has been striving for two years to secure approval for a contentious plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Finally, on Tuesday, the UK parliament passed legislation overnight, paving the way for these deportations. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak anticipates that the first flights could depart in 10 to 12 weeks, allowing time for potential legal challenges from various groups, including charities, campaigners, and unions.
Sunak added that the government’s action stemmed from compassion, aiming to deter people smugglers from endangering vulnerable individuals by sending them out to sea.
“They are packing more and more people into these unseaworthy dinghies. You’ve seen an enormous increase in the numbers over the past few years,” he said. “This is what tragically happens.”
According to Al Jazeera, under the Rwanda scheme, individuals arriving in Britain irregularly after January 1, 2022, will be relocated to Rwanda, approximately 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles) away.
Official figures indicate that more than 50,000 individuals have arrived in Britain since that date. However, on Tuesday, the United Nations refugee agency and the Council of Europe urged the UK to reconsider its plans, expressing concerns that the bill could undermine international cooperation in addressing the global migration crisis.