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French authorities confirmed that at least five migrants–three men, one woman, one child–died earlier this morning aboard a small boat carrying 110 people attempting to sail across the English Channel.
“After first grounding on a sandy bank, the vessel went out to sea again,” the county said. “A crowd movement apparently occurred on the overloaded vessel, causing several casualties,” it added, noting that the accident occurred at 05:00 local time.
Earlier, local newspaper La Voix du Nord reported that the migrants died trying to cross the Channel from an area near the town of Wimereux and that about 100 were rescued by three helicopters and several lifeboats involved in the operation.
According to a coastguard spokeswoman, members are still conducting a maritime operation after a “busy” morning with several attempts by migrants to cross the Channel.
The English Channel is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and the currents there are strong, making it dangerous for small boats to cross.
People smugglers usually overload plastic boats in poor condition, leaving them barely afloat, risking being swept away by the waves as they try to reach British shores.
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This new accident comes after the British upper house of parliament yesterday passed legislation allowing the British Government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Halting the flow of migrants is a priority for the government of British PM Rishi Sunak, who claims that the Rwanda plan will act as a deterrent.
Human rights organisations and other critics counter that the plan is inhumane.
Tens of thousands of migrants — many of whom are fleeing war zones in their home countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia or fleeing poverty — have arrived in Britain in recent years by sailing across the Channel in small boats, risking their lives and falling prey to human traffickers.
Following this latest incident, British Home Secretary James Cleverly said that the government is doing all it can to stop these attempts by migrants and, as he wrote on Platform X, “these tragedies must stop.”
