The migrant crisis sparked by smugglers in the English Channel claimed four more lives on Saturday, including a young child who was said to have been “trampled” to death.
French authorities say four illegal immigrants have died in two separate attempts to cross the English Channel in a small boat.
Jacques Villain, governor of France's Pas-de-Calais region, where many illegal immigrants try to reach British shores, said: said In a separate incident, a two-year-old child died and three other adult migrants lost their lives, according to the BBC.
Recently appointed French Interior Minister Bruno Letaillot reported The child was said to have been “trampled to death on a boat.” He described the deaths as a “terrible tragedy” and said the smugglers had “the blood of these people on their hands”.
Letaileau added: “Our government will intensify its fight against the mafia, which is enriching itself by organizing deadly crossings.”
It comes after a further 395 illegal migrants arrived in the UK on Friday. Since taking office in July, more than 10,000 illegal immigrants have successfully crossed the English Channel under the watchful eye of Labor Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The United Nations International Organization for Migration is reported At least 194 illegal migrant boats lost their lives trying to cross the English Channel between 2018 and September this year.
Despite the rising death toll, Paris continues to refuse to accept Brexit migrants back and rejects the idea of immediately returning boats to shore as it would put migrants at risk. are.
Instead, the French Navy continues to escort people-smugglers full of migrants into British waters, where they are handed over to British Border Force or the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), both of which are known as “taxi”. He is accused of playing a role. For illegal immigrants.
Meanwhile, the newly formed Labor government has also refused to unilaterally turn the ship back to France, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced plans to negotiate with the EU, including the possibility of taking in thousands of migrants from the EU. We are trying to build a closer relationship.
Mr Starmer is hopeful that action by law enforcement will disrupt smuggling networks operating on both sides of the Channel. But this approach still hasn't reduced the number of people crossing the busy waterway.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage commented on the continued influx of migrants. I wrote Saturday: “1,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel in the last few days. Labor has no idea how angry voters will be.”
