Overnight, “at least five migrants, including a child, died” while attempting to cross the Channel from France to Britain on an overcrowded small boat, local authorities have confirmed. The incident occurred on a dinghy carrying “110 people from the beach in Wimereux, near Boulogne-sur-Mer.” After hitting a sandbank, the boat returned to sea where a crush occurred on board, resulting in several casualties.
“The migrants had attempted to cross when the sea was calm but the temperature was barely above zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).” This marks the latest in a series of such tragedies as migrants, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, risk the dangerous sea crossing in search of a better future in Britain.
“So far this year, at least 15 people have died” attempting to reach English shores. This includes the recent death of “a seven-year-old Iraqi girl named Rola in the capsizing of an overcrowded migrant boat in the Aa canal.” The increased patrols along the French coast have led migrants to board boats on inland waterways to reach Britain.
“The British government, facing pressure to address the crossings, processed 5,373 migrants landing in southeast England in the first three months of this year.” The UK Prime Minister’s government is committed to ending these tragedies and the illegal smuggling trade, which jeopardizes so many lives. They aim to break the business model of the smuggling gangs responsible for these perilous journeys.
Following these tragic events, “controversial plans by the UK government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda have progressed in parliament,” despite calls from the United Nations and Europe’s highest rights body to reconsider.