A tragic migrant boat accident in the English Channel has left one person dead and 61 others rescued after the overloaded vessel broke apart during an overnight crossing attempt, according to French maritime officials. Sky News reported the incident on Monday.
The French Maritime Prefecture for the Channel and the North Sea confirmed the boat capsized, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving both French and British emergency teams.
Among the rescued were a mother and her child, both suffering from hypothermia. They were airlifted to hospital by helicopter, while the remaining survivors were brought to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, near Calais.
French rescue tug Abeille Normandie deployed three speedboats to recover 50 people from the water. British teams also assisted, with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution rescuing two individuals and the UK Border Force vessel Ranger rescuing nine more. All were later transferred to the French vessel.
A French Navy helicopter later discovered an unconscious person at sea. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution retrieved the individual and transported them to the Abeille Normandie, where they were pronounced dead.
The UK government confirmed the fatality and extended condolences to those affected.
“We can confirm there has been a tragic incident in the Channel involving a small boat in French waters, which has resulted in the loss of one life.
This latest tragedy underlines the terrible dangers of small boat crossings, and we continue to do everything we can to prevent callous criminals exploiting vulnerable people,” a government spokesperson said.
The incident comes amid a sharp increase in Channel crossings. So far this year, over 12,000 migrants have arrived in the UK by small boats, including more than 1,100 in the past week alone.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer recently pledged to dismantle human smuggling networks, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reiterated his commitment to reduce net migration by 2029, citing growing immigration concerns.
