A tragic event occurred in the English Channel night when a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Wissant, northern France, killing a newborn on Thursday.
Authorities claimed that the overloaded dinghy began to absorb water on its passage across the Channel.
The rescuers successfully saved 65 people, including many who were discovered water. The rescuers found an unresponsive baby and confirmed dead.
French naval patrol boat and a helicopter were included in this rescue mission. In a statement, the local prefecture stated that the boat was highly loaded, which raised concerns because some passengers were already in the water when rescue workers arrived.
Efforts were increased to find any additional people who may have been stranded at sea.
French authorities have initiated an investigation related to the baby’s death. This year has already been declared the deadliest for migrant crossings in the English Channel since 2018, with multiple occurrences resulting in fatalities.
The number of migrants trying the risky trek has increased dramatically, with dinghies now carrying over 50 people, many of whom do not have life jackets.
Another overcrowded boat sank off the French coast on September 3, killing twelve people, including six children and a pregnant woman.
The latest sinking takes the total number of fatalities for people attempting to cross the Channel in 2024 to at least 53.
In response to the escalating issue, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed his resolve to combat the smugglers who facilitate these dangerous crossings.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, expressed regret over the baby’s death, calling it a “devastating and depressingly preventable tragedy.”
He emphasized the importance of providing “safe and legal routes” for refugees fleeing conflict and persecution, as well as tackling the underlying problems that drive people to take such risky journeys.
