A baby died after a boat carrying people in the Channel towards Britain capsized off the French coast, local coastguards have said.
Sixty-five people were rescued after the overloaded boat started to sink off the coast of Wissant, in northern France, on Thursday night. Some people were in the water when rescuers arrived. An unconscious baby found in the water was later declared dead.
The local prefecture said: “Rescuers found that the boat, which was heavily loaded, was in difficulty and that some people were in the water. Rescuers began to recover the people in difficulty. At the same time further searches were carried out to find people who could be stranded at sea.”
On 5 October, a two-year-old child was crushed to death and three others also died during an attempt to cross the Channel.
The NGO Migrant Voice said: “Thoughts and prayers from politicians after tragedies won’t stop people dying in the Channel. Nobody risks their life or their baby’s life if they see another option. We need policies which make it safer and simpler for people to claim asylum.”
The charity Women for Refugee Women said: “These tragic deaths are preventable. We need safe routes now. Our thoughts are with the baby’s loved ones and all who were on the boat.”
The latest fatality brings the number of deaths of migrants trying to cross the Channel so far this year to at least 53, making 2024 the deadliest year so far for crossings.
The previous Conservative government pledged to ”stop the boats” and the new government has vowed to “smash the smugglers”, with both providing funding to the French authorities to disrupt smugglers and intercept overladen dinghies trying to leave beaches in northern France.
However, critics say these policies are not preventing desperate people from trying to cross the Channel but are only making the crossings more dangerous, with increasing numbers crammed into unsuitable boats.
Speaking earlier this month, Christa Rottensteiner , the UK representative for the International Organization for Migration, said: “These deaths are preventable – more safe and regular routes are urgently needed to prevent further tragedies while addressing the root causes of irregular migration.”
A spokesperson for the Channel and North Sea prefecture in France said a number of small boats trying to cross the Channel sent SOS messages on Thursday evening and 132 people were rescued.
The boat in which the child died was “very crowded … and some of the passengers were in the water”, they said.
While searching the water, the rescue ship, the Minck, picked up an unconscious baby. Paramedics were helicoptered on to the vessel but the baby was declared dead onboard.
A total of 65 other passengers were rescued from the boat and taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Enver Solomon, the CEO of the Refugee Council, said: “We are heartbroken that a baby has died in yet another devastating and depressingly preventable tragedy in the Channel. People who make the crossing are fleeing war, conflict and persecution and simply want to be safe.
“As our analysis shows, these crossings are getting ever deadlier, with the total number of deaths this year being greater than the previous three years combined. This procession of death and tragedy shows we need to rethink our approach. Lives will continue to be lost if we carry on as it is.
“The government should adopt a more multi-pronged strategy to tackle these life-threatening journeys. Seeking to disrupt the smuggling gangs alone will never be enough: government must also provide safe and legal routes for refugees, as well as meaningful collaboration with European partners.”
