At Least Eight Dead After Channel Crossing Attempt

At least eight people lost their lives overnight while attempting to cross the English Channel from France, according to French police. Rescue services were alerted when a boat encountered difficulties in the waters north of Boulogne-sur-Mer, located in the Pas-de-Calais region, around 01:00 local time (00:00 BST).

The inflatable rubber vessel was carrying about 60 individuals from various countries, including Eritrea, Sudan, Syria, and Iran.

This tragic event follows another deadly incident less than two weeks ago, in which 12 people, including six children and a pregnant woman, drowned when their boat sank, marking the worst loss of life in the Channel this year.

The French coast guard reported that Sunday’s incident occurred as the boat approached a beach in the town of Ambleteuse. Despite efforts, rescue teams were unable to assist from the sea. The vessel, after encountering trouble, was driven onto rocks and subsequently broke apart.

Emergency services attended to 53 survivors on the beach and confirmed that eight people had perished. Six individuals, including a baby suffering from hypothermia, were rushed to the hospital.

No further survivors were found after sea searches, and an investigation into the tragedy has been launched by the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor’s office.

A UK government spokesperson confirmed the tragic incident, stating that French authorities are leading the response and investigation.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed his sorrow over the "further loss of life" in the Channel, calling the situation "awful." Speaking on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, he highlighted the dangers migrants face, particularly noting the unsafe rubber dinghies many attempt to use for the crossing. Lammy reiterated the government's commitment to working with European partners to combat the criminal people-smuggling networks responsible for facilitating these perilous journeys.

The Channel has seen a surge in crossing attempts over the past few days due to calmer weather. On Saturday alone, 801 migrants successfully crossed, according to provisional figures from the Home Office. This marked the second-highest daily total this year, following 882 crossings on June 18.

French maritime authorities reported rescuing 200 people between Friday and Saturday in separate incidents. The coast guard, along with other first responders, rescued individuals from four separate boats carrying 61, 55, 48, and 36 people respectively. Authorities monitored a total of 18 crossing attempts that day.

With these latest deaths, 45 people have now died attempting to cross the Channel this year, according to the UN's International Organisation for Migration—the highest number reported since 2021. Over 23,000 individuals have crossed the Channel in 2024 so far.

Amnesty International UK described the tragedy as “yet another appalling and avoidable” loss of life. Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, echoed this sentiment, stating that these deaths were not inevitable and called for a comprehensive approach to reducing crossings. "Enforcement alone is not the solution," he said, advocating for greater access to safe asylum routes.