LONDON – At least 27 people died on Wednesday trying to reach British shores, with one of the worst disasters involving a migrant crossing that has surfaced across the English Channel. France And this UK
French officials previously revised the numbers after telling Reuters that 31 had died when a boat carrying migrants capsized across the Channel on Wednesday evening.
Tetegham Mayor Frank Dharsin, vice-president of transport for the northern France region, previously tweeted that More than 50 migrants are believed to have been on board,
“A lot of corpses in the water,” he wrote, calling the incident “a new tragedy.”
British Prime Minister boris johnson He said he was “shocked, shocked and deeply saddened by the loss of life at sea.”
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“My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” he said, calling on countries to work together to stop smugglers from facilitating channel crossings.
“It is time we all move forward, work together and do everything possible to stop these gangs running in the murder case,” he said.
A fisherman, Nicolas Margole, told Reuters that he had seen at least two small dinghies before Wednesday.
He said it appeared that one boat was carrying people and the other was empty.
Margole said another fisherman called rescue operators after seeing an empty canoe and several people swimming in nearby waters.
He said more dinghies were seen in the water on Wednesday as the weather was good. “But it’s cold,” he said.
Tensions have risen over small boat crossings on the Channel, with French and British officials ramping up efforts to prevent asylum seekers from traveling.
Despite efforts from both sides, the daily number of people crossing the Channel on small boats reached record numbers this month, with 1,185 people arriving in the UK on 11 November alone, Sky news reported,
This number had surpassed the previous record of 853 people, which was reached earlier this month. A spokesman for the Home Office said it could not comment on the alleged number of crossings.
Increase in deaths at sea
United Nations Migration Agency warned in a report In July, the number of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees trying to reach Europe by sea more than doubled in the first half of the year.
According to the report, in the first six months of the year, at least 1,146 people died risking travel to European shores. international organization for migration,
In recent months, the UK Home Office has stepped up efforts to crack down on irregular migration. home Secretary Priti Patel A bill introduced in July to prevent migrants from crossing the Channel to reach the UK
British Government The solution is said Called the Nationality and Borders Bill, it aims to “better protect and support those in real need of asylum”, “prevent illegal entry into the UK” and make it easier to remove “those who do not have the right to live here”.
Immigration advocates and politicians have condemned the bill, and many have called for Britain to focus on creating safer routes for asylum seekers and migrants to reach Britain.
“When the government adopts a dangerous and reckless refugee policy, humans will continue to sink into the channel, which prioritizes strict boundaries and punishment over protection,” Tim Naird Hilton, chief executive of immigration advocacy group Refugee Action, said in a statement. ,
one in Statement published on Twitter on WednesdayBritish MP Jarrah Sultana said she was “heartbroken” by the news of the deaths on the channel.
Sultana, a member of the opposition Labor Party, wrote: “Please let this happen at the very moment we provide a safe way to welcome refugees into the UK, not to perpetuate hatred and fear.”
In a statement, Patel said his thoughts are “with the families of all those who tragically lost their lives in French waters today.”
He said Britain would continue to “intensify” its efforts to stop migrants taking these deadly journeys.
The fatal incident, she said, “serves as the best possible reminder of the dangers of these channel crossings conducted by brutal criminal gangs.”
Patel said, “This is why this government’s new immigration plan will replace our broken asylum system and remove many of the long-standing bridge factors that encourage migrants to make the dangerous journey from France to the United Kingdom.” will address.”
The French coast guard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.