French authorities have reported the deaths of four migrants, including a 2-year-old child, in two separate incidents as they attempted to cross the English Channel to reach Britain. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the incidents as a “terrible tragedy” and blamed smugglers for the deaths, stating that the child was “trampled to death in a boat.” This marks a series of shipwrecks that have made 2024 the deadliest year in recent times in the English Channel, with 12 people passing away in a migrant boat accident last month and eight others dying in a similar incident two weeks later.
In the first incident, rescuers found the 2-year-old child dead on board a migrant boat that had requested assistance. Fourteen other migrants were rescued and brought back to France for questioning, while a 17-year-old with burns on his legs was taken to a hospital. Despite attempts to rescue everyone on board, some individuals refused and continued their journey to Britain, showing the risks and dangers involved in these crossings. Authorities highlighted the actions of smugglers who prioritize making money over human lives, jeopardizing families, including children, in the process.
Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor Guirec Le Bras revealed that the child who died was born in Germany to a 24-year-old Somalian mother and appeared to have been crushed in a jostling on the boat. In a separate incident, rescuers found three migrants dead and saved others who had fallen off an overloaded small boat carrying 83 passengers, causing panic and stampede. The individuals who died were two men and a woman who seem to have been crushed, choked, and drowned in the water at the bottom of the boat. Investigations into both incidents have been opened, with migrants from various countries being cared for by rescuers.
The migrants who were rescued on Saturday hailed from Eritrea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iran, Ethiopia, Libya, Syria, Egypt, Kuwait, and Iraq, highlighting the diverse range of nationalities seeking refuge and opportunities in Europe. The increasing strictness of Europe’s asylum rules, rising xenophobia, and hostile treatment of migrants have forced them to seek routes northward in search of safety and a better future. Before the recent incidents, French authorities had reported at least 46 migrant deaths while attempting to cross the English Channel to reach the UK this year, underscoring the grave risks and challenges faced by individuals fleeing conflict, poverty, and persecution. Authorities and international organizations continue to work towards addressing the root causes of migration and ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals on the move.
