A tragic incident unfolded on Thursday night as a baby died after a boat carrying migrants sank while attempting to cross the English Channel, according to French authorities.
The overloaded inflatable dinghy started sinking off the coast of Wissant, in northern France. Emergency responders rushed to the scene and managed to rescue 65 people, some of whom were found in the water.
Despite the efforts of rescuers, an unconscious baby was discovered during a search operation and later pronounced dead. Authorities have launched an investigation into the child’s death.
In a statement, the local prefecture said: “Rescuers found that the boat, which was heavily loaded, was in difficulty, and some of the people were in the water. Rescuers began to recover those in difficulty while further searches were carried out to find more people who could be stranded at sea.” The baby was found during this search operation.
The year 2024 has already become the deadliest for migrant crossings of the English Channel since 2018. Overcrowded dinghies, often carrying 50 or more people, are increasingly used for these dangerous crossings. Many of those onboard do not wear life jackets, heightening the risk of tragedy.
Earlier incidents this year have underscored the peril faced by migrants attempting the crossing. On 3 September, six children and a pregnant woman were among 12 people who lost their lives when a boat sank off the French coast. A month later, four more people, including a two-year-old boy, died after being “trampled to death” on two separate boats.
