A migrant tragically died while trying to cross the Channel from France to Britain on Friday, marking the latest in a series of deadly maritime incidents, according to police reports.
This fatality represents the third such tragedy in just one week. Maritime police reported rescuing 85 individuals after a distress call was made. The deceased migrant has been identified as Sudanese, while the majority of those rescued were Ethiopian, Eritrean, or Sudanese.
Around 1:00 am (2300 GMT Thursday), migrants on the overcrowded vessel requested urgent assistance from a French navy patrol as their boat began to sink. The patrol successfully rescued five people from the water and transferred others from the sinking vessel, where the deceased was found.
Three individuals from the vessel have been arrested, according to Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutors.
Earlier in the week, an Eritrean woman died attempting the crossing off Gravelines while aboard a vessel carrying 72 migrants. Additionally, last Friday, four migrants drowned off Boulogne-sur-Mer when their deflated vessel sank, although a navy patrol was able to rescue dozens from the water.
In Calais on Friday evening, approximately 100 people, including migrants, gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor those who lost their lives. Ethiopian migrant Dargie, 25, who survived Wednesday’s wreck, shared his experience. He recounted helping two women and two children from the capsized boat onto a French navy vessel and expressed his determination to reach England despite the inherent dangers.
Another survivor, Anwar Muhammad, revealed that the boat was reportedly meant to carry 40 people, but was heavily overcrowded with only 20 life jackets available.
The latest fatality brings the total number of migrant deaths attempting to cross the Channel to 22 this year, compared to 12 for the entire year of 2023, according to French maritime police.
In response to these incidents, Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have pledged to bolster their cooperation on irregular migration. Starmer acknowledged the complexity of the issue, stating that there is “no easy silver bullet” to stop the perilous crossings by small boats.