Body Found in Fishing Nets Off Calais – Likely Missing Migrant
Tragic Discovery Off French Coast
A body, believed to be one of the missing migrants, was found Friday afternoon off Calais, Pas-de-Calais. A fishing vessel hauled the grim catch in its nets before alerting authorities at around 6.30 pm, according to the maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea.
Investigation Underway
The Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor’s office has launched a probe, handing it over to the maritime gendarmerie. Officials say the body has been in the water for a long time.
A forensic examination will determine if foul play was involved and establish the cause of death. DNA samples are set to be taken to identify the victim.
Context: Migrant Crisis in the Channel
This discovery follows just over two weeks after a deadly shipwreck on November 24, which claimed 27 lives — including men, women, teenagers, and a child — as migrants attempted to cross the Channel on a makeshift boat.
Since 2018, illegal crossings have surged dramatically. From January until November 25, 2021, French maritime authorities logged 1,281 crossing events involving 33,083 people trying to reach the UK by sea.
During this period, 8,284 migrants were rescued. Tragically, 30 have died and 4 remain missing.
