LILLE: A four-month baby died when an overloaded migrant boat headed for Britain sank in the Channel off the coast of France in the latest tragedy involving asylum seekers, French authorities said on Friday.

Sixty five people were rescued when the accident occurred off the French town of Wissant on Thurs­day night, the maritime authority in charge of Fre­nch waters in the Channel and the North Sea said.

The infant, aged four months and possibly from Iraqi Kurdistan, was on board with his parents and two other children, prosecutors said. The passengers onboard “were mainly of Iranian, Iraqi, Albanian and Eritrean nationality,” Guirec Le Bras, the public prosecutor in Boulogne-sur-Mer, said.

The latest sinking comes as an anti-immigration mood is dominating political debate in Europe. The tragedy brings to at least 52 the number of people who have died attempting to reach England from France so far this year — a record since 2018.

During a rescue operation on Thursday evening several vessels and a Belgian helicopter spotted an overcrowded boat, with some of its passengers in the water. The boat “was tearing at the centre, with some passengers falling into the water, while others were holding on to the inflatable elements”, the prosecutor said.

The maritime prefecture said that 65 people had been recovered “unh­a­r­med.” “After a search, an infant was found unconscious in the water and unfortunately declared dead.” Authorities launched a manslaughter investigation and were interviewing the survivors as part of the probe.

Channel crossings to Britain by undocumented asylum seekers have surged since 2018 despite repeated warnings about the perilous journey. The Channel has heavy maritime traffic, icy waters and strong currents.

‘Deaths are preventable’

“These tragic deaths are preventable. We need safe routes NOW,” Women for Refugee Women, a UK-based charity, said on X. “Our thoughts are with the baby’s loved ones, and all who were on the boat.” Utopia 56, a French association helping migrants, added: “To put an end to these tragedies, the action of the state must change.” The group called for “a policy of reception in France and safe passage to England.”

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024