Pregnant woman and six children among dead after boat capsizes | World News

At least 12 people have died and two are missing after a boat carrying migrants was “torn apart” while crossing the Channel to Britain.

The seven-metre-long boat with 65 people on board sank late this morning near Cap Gris-Nez, a cape off the coast of Pas-de-Calais, France.

This left dozens of people stranded in the turbulent waters of the Channel, while a nearby French ship sailed to the broken boat to help them.

The mayor of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Frédéric Cuvillier, told the BBC that the dead included a pregnant woman and six children.

France’s outgoing Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said “around 10 women, some of whom were minors” were killed. Prosecutors said they were “mainly of Eritrean origin,” referring to the northeastern African country.

More than 50 people were rescued after a rescue operation involving three helicopters was launched.

Prefectural officials said “several” survivors “require urgent medical attention,” with two in critical condition.

However, according to a maritime industry insider, the death toll could rise to thirteen.

Darmanin said on X: ‘I came to Boulogne-sur-Mer to meet and thank the emergency services, the police and the crew. They saved 51 people from drowning by intervening very quickly and very courageously.

‘A “boat” less than seven meters long, in which 70 people were crammed together by criminal smugglers, sank this morning off Cap Gris-Nez. Twelve dead. Mostly women.

Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel, near the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, said: “Unfortunately the bottom of the boat has been torn open.”

He added: “It’s a big tragedy.”

Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly said on X: “This is tragic and cannot continue. It is not enough to talk about ‘crushing the gangs’ when the real consequences are so serious.

‘Labour must restore the deterrent effect the NCA needs to prevent vulnerable people from being exploited and to secure our borders.’

The incident sparked anger and frustration among human rights groups on both sides of the Channel.

Utopia 56, a French migrant aid association, said on X: “The Ministry of the Interior and Gérald Darmanin must be held responsible for their arrogance, incompetence and violence.”

According to official figures, more than 2,100 asylum seekers crossed the Channel between August 27 and yesterday. Around 12,600 have made the journey so far this year.

But campaigners say crossing the Channel, often via smugglers, is one of the few options for asylum seekers, most of whom are fleeing countries ravaged by war or oppression.

“No one risks their life crossing the Channel in a small boat unless they feel they have no other choice,” said Alex Fraser, Director of Refugee Support at the British Red Cross in the UK.

‘More safe routes are urgently needed to prevent people making dangerous journeys to reach the UK.

At least 30 people have died or gone missing this year while trying to reach the UK to claim asylum, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Dr Wanda Wyporska, chief executive of Safe Passage International, told Metro.co.uk that today’s ‘tragedy’ shows that Britain also needs to review its immigration policies.

“Far too many children, women and men have already lost their terrifying lives in the Channel this year. Every single one of them could have been prevented,” she said.

Today’s tragedy must be the last.

‘Without safe alternatives to find protection in the UK, people fleeing war and persecution will continue to make dangerous journeys at the hands of smugglers because they have no other choice. We cannot accept this Government’s refusal to prioritise opening new safe routes.’

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