Deaths of 6 and Rescue of Dozens After Migrant Boat Capsizes Crossing the Channel from France

Local authorities reported that at least six people died and more than 50 were rescued after a migrant boat attempted to cross the English Channel from France early Saturday morning. The mayor of the area, Frank Dercin, stated that a large-scale rescue operation began around 6 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT), as dozens of migrant boats tried to cross simultaneously. He told Reuters, "Several boats faced severe difficulties. Unfortunately, bodies were found near the coastal town of Sangatte." The maritime authorities confirmed that at least six people were killed and stated that search and rescue operations are ongoing. The Channel between France and Britain is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with strong currents that make crossing small boats dangerous. Human traffickers often overcrowd dilapidated boats, making them barely buoyant and exposing passengers to the risk of rough seas during their attempts to reach the British shores. Volunteer Anne Turel, who was on one of the rescue boats, said, "We rescued 54, including a woman," describing the desperate efforts migrants made to bail water from their capsized boat using their shoes. She told Reuters by phone upon returning to shore, "There were many people on the migrant boat." French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne noted that the Minister of State for Maritime Affairs, Hervé Berville, would head to Calais, where one of the migrant boats capsized. The British Coastguard stated it had sent a rescue boat from Dover to assist in the relief efforts, alongside a rescue team and ambulance team. Additionally, a British Border Force vessel and two rescue boats managed to save all passengers from another small boat in the Channel in a separate incident on Saturday. Government data from the UK shows that the number of migrants who have crossed the Channel since the beginning of 2018 surpassed 100,000 this week, with around 16,000 of those recorded since the start of the year.