Five migrants, including a seven year old girl, died while attempting to cross the English Channel in order to reach the UK.
The engine of the small and overcrowded boat the migrants were attempting to cross on reportedly stopped several hundred metres from the shores of the UK. During the incident, a number of people fell off. The five who died drowned during these moments.
French coastguard rescuers managed to rescue 49 people from the waters, however 58 people refused rescue, managed to restart the engine, and continued their journey to the UK. In total, the boat had 112 people on board when it set off from France.
Notably, the incident occurred mere hours after the UK had finally passed the Safety of Rwanda Bill, meant to finally bring into practice the UK’s plan to deport illegal migrants and illegal asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda.
The plan is meant as a deterrent for small boat crossings such as this one, which are very dangerous, and oftentimes organized by human trafficking groups.
