On Wednesday, it was reported that a man and a woman had drowned while attempting to cross the Channel in a small boat to reach the UK.
Fifty-eight additional individuals were saved, and it is believed that a significant number of them were experiencing hypothermia.
The most recent disaster occurred only 48 hours prior to the two-year mark of the most fatal drowning incident in the Channel in the past four decades, which took place on November 24, 2021. At least 27 individuals lost their lives in that tragedy.
Non-governmental organizations in the northern region of France report that there have been four additional fatalities at the border in the past few days. This includes two individuals who were killed on the road connecting Calais and Dunkirk, as well as two others who died during an altercation.
Earlier on Wednesday, eyewitnesses reported approximately 100 individuals gathered on a beach near Boulogne, waiting to cross the Channel. Police, armed with riot shields, used tear gas and attempted to prevent one group, including the man and woman who later died, from boarding a dinghy in order to evade capture.
The small boat was said to have encountered trouble less than one kilometer from the coast of France and flipped over. The French government launched a rescue mission.
The prosecutor of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Guirec Le Bras, stated that the boat was one of several that departed from a beach near the French port on Wednesday morning. He also mentioned that a manslaughter investigation has been initiated following the deaths of two individuals.
Steve Valdez-Symonds, the director for refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International UK, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and offered condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. The incoming home secretary must acknowledge the reality of the situation.
“People will continue to attempt dangerous Channel crossings while they are without safe access to fair and efficient asylum procedures on each side of the water – including safe routes to the UK for people whose family and other connections are here.
“We implore government officials to shift their attention – instead of attempting to evade any responsibility for asylum, the UK should acknowledge its role in offering protection and motivate other nations to do the same.”
Axel Guadinat of the French NGO Utopia 56, which provides support to migrants in northern France, said: “The rhythm of death at the UK-France border is frantic. We must change our policies to provide a dignified welcome and some safe routes for these people who ask for nothing except a bit of respect.”
Following the fatal crossing on Wednesday, another vessel carrying 58 migrants was reported to have arrived in Dungeness. As of now, approximately 26,000 individuals have made the journey across the Channel this year, which is a decrease of about one-third compared to last year’s number. In an effort to combat small boat crossings, the UK has allocated £500m to France in a three-year funding plan.
Enver Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of the Refugee Council, expressed: “This is yet another tragic and avoidable incident that highlights the immediate necessity for secure pathways, allowing individuals from countries like Afghanistan to avoid hazardous voyages across the world’s most heavily trafficked waterway.”
Instead of implementing the unjust, impractical, and costly Rwanda proposal that closes our borders to refugees, the government should prioritize establishing more secure pathways and developing a functional and compassionate asylum process.
Source: theguardian.com
