At least 12 people, predominantly women and children, have died after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of northern France on Tuesday, as reported by French authorities. The vessel, which had nearly 70 people on board, was in distress when it sank near Cap Gris-Nez.
Emergency teams rescued 53 individuals and recovered the deceased bodies. Some survivors are in critical condition and need urgent medical attention. The rescue operation involved three helicopters, two fishing vessels, and two boats.
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This tragedy adds to the series of incidents in the English Channel, where migrant crossings to Britain have surged in recent years. The maritime prefecture highlighted the dangers of this busy sector, which sees over 600 merchant ships daily and often faces challenging weather conditions.
Most of the migrants were reportedly from Eritrea, with ten of the twelve deceased being women, some of whom were minors. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin criticized the smugglers for providing unsafe conditions and noted that only a few on the boat had life jackets.
Last year, nearly 30,000 people arrived in Britain by crossing the Channel in small boats, according to Home Office data. Dinghies and other small vessels are often used for these perilous journeys as migrants seek asylum in the UK.
Fatal incidents, such as the one on Tuesday, have been recurrent. For instance, six people lost their lives last August when a boat carrying numerous migrants capsized.
The issue has been a significant political challenge for both the previous Conservative government and the new Labour administration. Migrant rights groups have criticized the hardline stance against asylum seekers.
Xavier Crombé, head of Médecins Sans Frontières in France, condemned both French and British government policies for the latest tragedy. He argued that the deaths are a result of harsh and irrational migration policies that prioritize border control over human safety, making migrant journeys increasingly perilous.
