France: Baby dies after boat capsizes in attempted Channel crossing

News Update

A baby died after a boat carrying people in the Channel towards Britain capsized off the French coast, local coastguards have said. Sixty-five people were rescued after the overloaded boat started to sink off the coast of Wissant, in northern France, on Thursday night. Some people were in the water when rescuers arrived. An unconscious baby found in the water was later declared dead. The local prefecture said: “Rescuers found that the boat, which was heavily loaded, was in difficulty and that some people were in the water. Rescuers began to recover the people in difficulty. At the same time further searches were carried out to find people who could be stranded at sea.” On 5 October, a two-year-old child was crushed to death and three others also died during an attempt to cross the Channel. The NGO Migrant Voice said: “Thoughts and prayers from politicians after tragedies won’t stop people dying in the Channel. Nobody risks their life or their baby’s life if they see another option. We need policies which make it safer and simpler for people to claim asylum.” Follow link for full story...