Indian migrant dies attempting English Channel crossing as boat deflates
Channel crossing France-Britain
An Indian national while attempting to cross the English Channel from France to the UK died on Sunday (Oct 27), after the vessel he was on deflated "immediately after leaving the beach".
This marks the third fatal incident in the region within the past ten days, French authorities confirmed.
"The vessel, which was in very poor condition, deflated immediately after leaving the beach," at around 5:30 am (0430 GMT) said the local prefecture in a statement.
What happened?
The man, an Indian national, as per AFP, started his journey from Tardinghen beach in Pas-de-Calais.
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However, according to officials, the vessel quickly deflated shortly after setting off at around 5:30 am local time.
Although some passengers managed to swim back to shore, the man "of Indian nationality, around 40 years old, was in cardio-respiratory arrest" and could not be resuscitated, said the prefecture.
Rising death toll
The death adds to a rising toll on this dangerous route. According to the report, at least 56 migrants died in 2024 while trying to reach Britain from France—a record number with two months remaining.
Just last Wednesday, two men and a woman lost their lives when their boat sank near the port city of Calais. The week before that, a four-month-old infant drowned after another boat disintegrated.
On Friday, three more migrants were hospitalised with injuries and hypothermia, as attempts to cross the Channel continued despite worsening conditions.
Axel Gaudiant, coordinator for migrant aid group Utopia 46 in Calais, attributed these fatalities to existing migration policies and said,"We can't bear any more of this migration policy. As far as we're concerned, that's what's responsible" for the deaths.
The UK and France have long cooperated on measures to curb these illegal crossings in small boats. However, the high numbers persist, with over 29,000 migrants having reached the UK by boat since the beginning of 2024, according to the British Home Office.
(With inputs from agencies)
