At least 12 people have died, and two others remain missing after a boat carrying dozens of asylum seekers to the UK was “ripped open” in the Channel. The French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, described the incident as a “terrible shipwreck” that occurred off Cap Gris-Nez on Tuesday morning.
The boat, which was carrying 65 people, suffered a catastrophic failure, according to an official statement cited by the news channel BFMTV. French coastguard teams managed to rescue more than 50 individuals approximately 28 miles (45km) southwest of Calais.
Darmanin confirmed that French rescue services had been mobilized to search for the missing individuals. “Terrible shipwreck in Pas-de-Calais, off Wimereux. The provisional toll stands at 12 dead, two missing, and several injured,” he wrote on X. “All state services are mobilized to find the missing and take care of the victims. I will go to the elected officials and the emergency services.”
Olivier Barbarin, the mayor of Le Portel, a coastal town near Boulogne-sur-Mer where casualties are being treated, commented on the tragedy: “Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open. It’s a big drama.”
French emergency services have been on the scene since 11:30 a.m., and UK search and rescue vessels are on standby, as the shipwreck occurred in French waters.
This disaster comes amid a significant increase in the number of asylum seekers attempting to cross the Channel. Over the past week, more than 2,000 people have arrived in the UK on small boats, including more than 600 on 28 August and 351 on 2 September.
The latest tragedy follows the deaths of two migrants on 11 August, when another 50 people were rescued from the Channel. Earlier, on 19 July, one person died after being rescued, and another perished when a boat carrying 72 people deflated.
Enver Solomon, the chief executive of the Refugee Council, expressed concern over the “shockingly high” number of deaths in the Channel this year. He called on the government to establish safe routes for those fleeing war and famine.
“It is a devastating trend that shows the urgent need for a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to reduce dangerous Channel crossings. Enforcement alone is not the solution,” Solomon said. “Heightened security and policing measures on the French coast have led to increasingly perilous crossings, launching from more dangerous locations and in flimsy, overcrowded vessels.”
Solomon emphasized the need for action against criminal gangs and urged the government to create effective and humane pathways for those seeking refuge. “People risk their lives out of desperation, fleeing violence and persecution in countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Sudan in search of safety. We must create effective and humane pathways for those seeking refuge to reduce the need for dangerous crossings and prevent further tragedies.”
The Channel, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, presents significant dangers due to strong currents. People smugglers often overload fragile dinghies, leaving them barely afloat as they attempt to reach British shores.
The worst maritime disaster in the Channel in 30 years occurred on 24 November 2021, when 31 people died. Despite repeated SOS calls to French and UK emergency services, no assistance was sent.