- Twelve die after migrant boat sinks in Channel, including six children and a pregnant woman
- Ten of the victims were female and two were male
- Calls for a UK-EU treaty on migration to address the crisis
Twelve die after migrant boat sinks in Channel
Twelve people, including six children and a pregnant woman, lost their lives when a boat carrying migrants sank in the English Channel off the French coast. The local prosecutor’s office reported that ten of the victims were female and two were male. The overloaded boat, which had its bottom “ripped open,” was carrying more than 50 people, but fewer than eight were wearing life jackets.
The French Coast Guard rescued over 50 individuals near Cape Gris-Nez, with two in critical condition. This incident marks the deadliest tragedy in the Channel this year. Local officials believe most of the victims were of Eritrean origin, though exact nationalities have yet to be confirmed.
Before this disaster, 30 migrants had already died crossing the Channel in 2024, making it the deadliest year since 2021. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin highlighted the increasing dangers, noting that smugglers are overcrowding boats, leading to more fatal shipwrecks. He called for a UK-EU treaty on migration to address the crisis and reduce small boat crossings.