Tragedy has struck again in the English Channel after a small boat capsized in northern France, with one seven-year-old girl losing her life. The boat was carrying 16 migrants and sank a few kilometres from the coast of Dunkirk. The vessel was deemed to be “probably stolen” and officials said it was not capable of carrying so many people. Local authority Préfet du Nord said the girl’s parents, who were travelling with three more children, were taken to a hospital in Dunkirk. Two men and six young children were also hospitalised, with their condition described as stable.
The French authorities believe people smugglers are behind the incident. Prosecutors in Dunkirk have confirmed that “several people are in custody” and further investigations are ongoing. Police and firefighters were notified of the situation by a walker.
The English Channel has seen an increase in migrants attempting to cross the waterway from France to the UK in recent months. Last Wednesday, three migrants lost their lives after their boat got into difficulty. In total, 249 people were rescued throughout the day. Over 2,000 migrants have reached the UK by boat this year.
The latest tragedy is a stark reminder that this crisis must be addressed. Human trafficking networks need to be disrupted and broken up, while political leaders should focus on establishing an effective and humane response to deal with the refugees and migrants. Until then, people will continue to take the risks that lead to incidents like this
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