In a tragic incident, eight migrants lost their lives when an overloaded boat capsized while attempting to cross the English Channel from France to Britain, according to a French police source.
The incident occurred shortly after the vessel set off, marking yet another deadly attempt in the ongoing migrant crisis.
This disaster follows less than two weeks after the deadliest Channel crossing this year, in which 12 people died. The French maritime authorities reported a surge in attempts by migrants to make the perilous journey in small boats, with 200 individuals being rescued within just 24 hours between Friday and Saturday.
Earlier this month, at least 12 migrants perished off the northern French coast when their boat, carrying dozens of people, capsized. The ongoing year has been particularly deadly, with 25 fatalities in migrant crossings so far, up from 12 recorded in 2023.
For years, the French and British governments have been working to stem the flow of migrants attempting these dangerous crossings. Migrants often pay smugglers thousands of euros for passage across the Channel in small, overcrowded boats.
Despite these efforts, over 22,000 migrants have successfully reached England by crossing the Channel since the beginning of the year, according to British officials. The rising death toll underscores the grave risks migrants continue to face in their desperate attempts to reach the UK.
