French authorities have confirmed that eight people died while attempting to cross the Channel from France to England, following earlier media reports.
This tragedy comes after the deaths of 12 people earlier this month when their boat capsized in the Channel en route to Britain. The rising death toll has intensified pressure on both the British and French governments to address the issue of dangerous boat crossings.
Jacques Billant, the Prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region, announced that rescue teams were alerted to a boat in distress carrying 59 people off the coast of Ambleteuse in the Pas-de-Calais area.
“A new tragedy occurred around 1 a.m., and we sadly report the deaths of eight people,” Billant stated at a news conference, adding that the remaining 51 passengers were now receiving medical care.
The victims were men from Eritrea, Sudan, Syria, Egypt, Iran, and Afghanistan, according to Billant.
The Channel, one of the busiest shipping routes globally, has treacherous currents, making the journey in small boats particularly perilous.
This incident raises the number of migrant deaths in the Channel this year to 46, Billant said. On September 14 alone, there were eight separate attempts to cross the Channel, with approximately 200 migrants rescued.
