Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News

4 minutes read. Updated 11:55AM GMT Fri, 12 July, 2024

Four migrants lost their lives after their boat capsized during an attempted crossing of the English Channel. The French coastguard confirmed the tragic news, highlighting the dangers faced by those seeking a better life through perilous sea journeys.

The incident occurred overnight when a navy patrol boat reported that migrants had fallen into the sea off the coast of Boulogne-Sur-Mer, northern France. Despite swift rescue efforts, four individuals found unconscious could not be revived, while 63 others were rescued from the waters.

Rescue operations involved a helicopter and a fishing vessel, which played crucial roles in saving lives. UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the incident as “truly awful,” emphasizing the human cost of such dangerous crossings.

The initial alert was raised at 04:30 local time (03:30 BST), with a helicopter arriving approximately 30 minutes later. Rescuers found several migrants drifting in the water, while others clung to the remnants of their broken rubber dinghy. The French navy ship rescued 49 people, while a fishing vessel saved 14.

All survivors were brought ashore in Boulogne and received care from emergency services. Although UK sea rescue charity RNLI and Border Force sent two boats from Dover, they were not needed at the scene.

UK Home Office figures reveal that 484 migrants crossed the English Channel on Monday and Tuesday, with a record 882 people making the crossing on June 18. So far this year, over 13,000 people have successfully reached the UK via the Channel, while more than a dozen have died attempting the journey.

In March, a seven-year-old girl died when a small boat capsized near Dunkirk. The following month, five people, including another seven-year-old girl, perished when a boat carrying 112 migrants ran aground after leaving Wimereux, near Boulogne.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the criminal gangs profiting from these perilous journeys. “We are accelerating action with international partners to pursue and bring down dangerous smuggler gangs,” she said.

The new Labour government recently announced plans to address the small boat crisis. Cooper plans to appoint a leader for the UK’s new Border Security Command within weeks, aiming to reduce Channel crossings.

The previous Conservative government had implemented a controversial policy to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, which the Labour government has since scrapped. However, despite changes in leadership, France has maintained its stance on cooperation with the UK. Last year, Rishi Sunak and Emmanuel Macron signed an agreement for increased policing of the French coast, supported by UK funding.

The French are keen to see how the Labour government’s policies will impact the ongoing crisis. They believe the UK should tackle the pull factors attracting migrants, such as the ease of entering the job market undetected and the lack of identity cards. Despite political changes, effective operational cooperation between Paris and London remains crucial.

For more detailed updates and in-depth analysis, visit BBC News and The Guardian.