British authorities have arrested a Sudanese man following a deadly migrant boat incident in the English Channel that left four people dead, officials said on Friday.
The National Crime Agency said the 27-year-old suspect was detained at a migrant processing centre in southern England on suspicion of endangering life during an illegal sea crossing.
The arrest follows an incident on Thursday off the coast of Saint-Étienne-au-Mont near Calais, where migrants attempted to cross from France to Britain in a small boat.
According to investigators, four people — two men and two women — died while trying to board a so-called “water taxi,” a tactic increasingly used by smuggling networks to evade French coastal patrols.
Authorities said 38 migrants were returned to the French shore after the incident, while 74 others continued the journey and reached the UK.
The suspect was arrested under provisions of the UK’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act. His identity has not been disclosed, and no legal representation has yet commented on the case.
The deadly crossing underscores the ongoing risks faced by migrants attempting the Channel route, which remains a politically charged issue for Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid continued pressure to curb irregular migration.
