Thirty-one people, including five women and a little girl, died on Wednesday after their rubber boat capsized while crossing the English Channel from world-regions to world-regions, in the worst disaster on record involving immigration” target=”_blank”>migrants<.
“There are two survivors … but their life is in danger, they are suffering from severe hypothermia,” he said.
The nationalities and identities of the migrants were not known, Darmanin said, adding that four human traffickers suspected of involvement in the accident had been arrested.
A life jacket is left after a group of more than 40 migrants get on an inflatable dinghy, to leave the coast of northern France and to cross the English Channel, near Wimereux, France, November 24, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
French President emmanuel-macron” target=”_blank”>Emmanuel Macron<
More migrants than usual had left France’s Channel coastline to take advantage of calm sea conditions on Wednesday, according to fishermen, although the water was bitterly cold.
One fisherman, Nicolas Margolle, told Reuters he had seen two small dinghies earlier on Wednesday, one with people on board and another empty.
He said another fisherman had called rescue services after seeing an empty dinghy and 15 people floating motionless nearby, either unconscious or dead.
Darmanin said the migrants’ dinghy had deflated, and when rescuers had arrived it was “deflated like an inflatable garden pool.”
A group of more than 40 migrants react as they succeeded to get on an inflatable dinghy, to leave the coast of northern France and to cross the English Channel, near Wimereux, France, November 24, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
While French police have prevented more crossings than in previous years, they have only partially stemmed the flow of migrants wanting to reach Britain – one of many sources of tensions between Paris and London.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “shocked and appalled” by the deaths.
“My thoughts and sympathies are with the victims and their families … but this disaster underscores how dangerous it is to cross the Channel in this way,” he said after chairing an emergency Cabinet meeting.
BIDEN SAYS BELARUS-POLAND BORDER CRISIS IS OF ‘GREAT CONCERN’ AS MIGRANT SITUATION WORSENS
Though both governments blamed smugglers, a number of French politicians, including Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart blamed Britain for the problem, saying it should change its immigration policies.
Some rights groups said tighter surveillance was pushing migrants to take greater risks as they sought a better life in the West.
“To accuse only the smugglers is to hide the responsibility of the French and British authorities,” said l’Auberge des Migrants, an advocacy group that supports refugees and displaced people.
A group of more than 40 migrants with children get on an inflatable dinghy, as they leave the coast of northern France to cross the English Channel, near Wimereux, France, November 24, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Before Wednesday’s disaster, 14 people had drowned this year trying to make it to Britain, a local maritime prefecture official said. In 2020, a total of seven people died and two disappeared, while in 2019 four died.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Early on Wednesday, Reuters reporters in France saw a group of over 40 migrants head towards Britain on a dinghy. Members of the same group were later seen by Reuters reporters arriving on the British coast.
