Tuesday, November 5, 2024
HomeE.U.Five migrants died trying to cross the Channel into the UK

Five migrants died trying to cross the Channel into the UK

Five migrants died trying to reach the UK coast from northern France despite freezing temperatures, France’s maritime authority reported.

The group were trying to reach a vessel off Wimereux when their small boat got into difficulty at around 2am.

We have four dead migrants and one migrant in a critical condition at the hospital in Boulogne-sur-mer, according to one official, later said a fifth migrant was found dead on Sunday morning.

The region around Calais, a shortcut to Britain, has long been a draw for migrants. Hundreds of people still live in tents and temporary shelters around Calais and Dunkirk, hoping for a chance to cross by hiding in a lorry or aboard a small boat.

Boats are a political priority for the British government and a point of contention with France as tens of thousands of people a year make this dangerous crossing.

In 2023, nearly 30,000 migrants crossed the Channel from mainland Europe to Britain in small boats, the British government claimed.

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