A baby has tragically died after a boat carrying asylum seekers sank in the English Channel near the French coast.
The incident occurred on Thursday night off Wissant, according to the local coastguard. Authorities reported that 65 individuals were rescued and taken to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Search efforts are ongoing to locate any additional missing persons, and the public prosecutor’s office in Boulogne-sur-Mer has initiated an investigation.
This latest sinking raises the death toll of migrants attempting to cross the Channel this year to at least 52, the highest number since 2018.
Previous incidents this year included the deaths of six children and six adults in September, and a two-year-old boy along with three adults a month later due to overloaded boats.
Government statistics indicate that the average number of migrants arriving by boat in the UK has increased to 53 this year, compared to just 13 in 2020. Since January 1, over 26,000 migrants have reached UK shores.
In response to the ongoing crisis, both the French and UK governments have been working to curb the flow of asylum seekers, many of whom pay smugglers significant sums for passage to the UK. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has emphasized the need for stricter immigration policies and a tougher stance against human traffickers.
Addressing the issue of small boat arrivals has been a priority for the UK government, with plans being announced to manage the influx following the abandonment of previous policies aimed at deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Meanwhile, EU leaders are calling for new legislation to expedite the return of migrants within the bloc.
