Related News
At least 31 drown as migrant boat sinks in English Channel
Print Edition
At least 31 migrants bound for Britain died on Wednesday when their boat sank in the English Channel, in what France鈥檚 interior minister called the biggest migration tragedy on the dangerous crossing to date.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 34 people were believed to have been on the boat. Authorities found 31 bodies 鈥 including those of five women and a young girl 鈥 and two survivors, he said. One person appeared to still be missing. The nationalities of the travelers was not immediately known.
The regional maritime authority, which oversees rescue operations, later said 27 bodies were found, two people survived and four others were missing and presumed drowned. The discrepancy in the numbers was not immediately explained.
Ever-increasing numbers of people fleeing conflict or poverty in Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq, Eritrea or elsewhere are risking the perilous journey in small, unseaworthy craft from France, hoping to win asylum or find better opportunities in Britain. The crossings have tripled this year from 2020, and another 106 migrants were rescued in French waters on Wednesday alone.
A joint French-British search operation for survivors of the sinking was called off late on Wednesday. Both countries cooperate to stem migration across the Channel but also accuse each other of not doing enough 鈥 and the issue is often used by politicians on both sides pushing an anti-migration agenda.
Four suspected traffickers were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of being linked to the sunken boat, Darmanin told reporters in the French port city of Calais. He said two of the suspects later appeared in court.
The regional prosecutor opened an investigation into aggravated manslaughter, organized illegal migration and other charges after the sinking.
Lille Prosecutor Carole Etienne said officials were still working to identify the victims and determine their ages and nationalities, and that the investigation may involve multiple countries.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a day of great mourning for France, for Europe, for humanity to see these people die at sea,鈥 Darmanin said. He lashed out at 鈥渃riminal traffickers鈥 driving thousands to risk the crossing. Activists demonstrated outside the port of Calais on Wednesday night, accusing governments of not doing enough to respond to migrants鈥 needs. Hundreds of people live in precarious conditions along the French coast, despite regular police patrols and evacuation operations.
The bodies were brought to the Calais port, said Jean-Marc Puissesseau, head of the ports of Calais and Boulogne. 鈥淲e were waiting for something like this to happen,鈥 he said, given the growing numbers of people risking the passage. Aid groups blamed European governments for increasingly hard-line migration policies.
鈥淭he UK is not a choice, it is an escape, an escape for people fleeing the lack of welcome in Europe,鈥 said Nikolai Posner of French charity Utopia 56.
Darmanin urged coordination with the UK, saying 鈥渢he response must also come from Great Britain.鈥
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke after the sinking and agreed 鈥渢hat it is vital to keep all options on the table to stop these lethal crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs behind them,鈥 Johnson鈥檚 office said. Macron stressed 鈥渢he shared responsibility鈥 of France and the UK.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
