A migrant tragically lost his life on Sunday while attempting to cross the English Channel to reach the UK. His death marks yet another tragedy, following two fatal boat sinkings in the Channel over the past 10 days, as confirmed by French authorities.
The man, identified as an Indian national, departed from Tardinghen Beach in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France. The vessel, reportedly in very poor condition, began deflating shortly after it left the shore around 5:30 a.m. local time (0430 GMT), according to a statement from the local prefecture.
While some passengers onboard did not have life jackets, the majority managed to swim back to the shore. Unfortunately, the Indian migrant, believed to be around 40 years old, was found in cardio-respiratory arrest, and emergency responders were unable to revive him, the prefecture reported.
With this incident, the total number of migrant deaths on the Channel route between France and Britain in 2024 has now reached at least 56, surpassing the previous year’s toll even with two months left in the year.
Only days earlier, on Wednesday, three individuals—a woman and two men—lost their lives when their boat capsized around two kilometers from the port city of Calais. In a separate tragedy the prior week, a four-month-old infant died when another vessel broke apart mid-crossing. Additionally, on Friday, three migrants were hospitalized after sustaining injuries or suffering from hypothermia during attempted crossings.
Axel Gaudiant, coordinator for the migrant aid organization Utopia 46 in Calais, criticized the policies governing migration in the region. “We can’t bear any more of this migration policy. As far as we’re concerned, that’s what’s responsible for the deaths,” Gaudiant said.
Efforts to deter small boat crossings have been a joint focus for Britain and France for years. Despite these efforts, more than 29,000 migrants have successfully crossed the Channel since the beginning of 2024, according to the British Home Office.
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