One person has been found dead near Calais after an attempted small boat crossing from France to the UK.
Rescue Mission to Save Illegal Migrants
According to French authorities, one person was found dead, and a further 34 people were rescued and taken to emergency service.
Small Boats Crossing an Official Crisis
Small boat crossings have turned into a crisis for the UK, with new plans to deal with the illegal immigrants making the dangerous journey.
Record Number of Small Boats Coming In
The number of illegal vessels crossing the Channel is at an all-time high this time of year, and many have recently proved fatal.
Small Boat Crossings up by 16% Since 2023
12,646 small boats were recorded in the first half of 2024, which is already 16% more than in the first half of 2023.
UK Home Office Spokesperson Reaches Out
A UK Home Office spokesperson said, “We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk.”
15,000 People Have Illegally Crossed in 2024
The numbers are staggering, and there is no true end yet. Almost 15,000 people have made the crossing this year alone.
An Average of 55 People per Boat
According to UK statistics, over 1500 people crossed the Channel in one week in July using 27 vessels, which means an average of about 55 to 56 persons are placed on one boat.
Attempts to Deter Are in Process
During this same period, 1,007 people attempting to cross in 33 vessels were stopped, showing a positive attempt to deter the boats.
Numbers Still Rising
However, data from the UK Home Office indicates that from the 23rd to the 29th of July, approximately 14 boats arrived carrying around 880 migrants.
Fatalities on the Rise
There have been at least six deaths in three separate incidents in the week of 12th-19th July alone.
“New Phenomenon” of Causes of Death Revealed
The French maritime authority told the Agence France-Presse media agency that the death had been a result “of a new phenomenon of people dying at sea not by drowning (but) by illness or in a crush.”
EU and Britain to up Border Control
Earlier in the year, the UK signed a deal with the EU’s border agency to work more closely together to stop the small boats.
Funding for Extra Law Enforcement Officers
In March, they also signed an agreement to work with France, including paying almost £500m over three years to fund extra law enforcement officers and a new detention centre.
Overcrowding on Boats
The boats are becoming increasingly overcrowded, leading to more incidents and making the already dangerous journey even more dangerous.
Overcrowding in Response to Clamp Down
The extreme overcrowding has been linked to the authorities trying harder to stop illegal boats crossing since Britain and France made the deal earlier this year.
Up to 86 People Onboard
The organisation AlarmPhone passes the information on to rescue services about boats in distress and noted that more incidents are occurring due to overcrowding on boats, some of which had as many as 86 people onboard.
‘Stopping the Boats’ a Priority
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made “stopping the boats” one of his main priorities while in office, despite new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer scrapping some of his measures.
Starmer at Work on Stopping Illegal Boats
PM Starmer has already begun implementing plans to tackle the small boat crisis and securing the borders.
Border Security Is the Starting Solution
A home office spokesperson said, “the new government is taking steps to boost our border security, setting up a new Border Security Command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror.style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas, to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit.”
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Sean Aidan Calderbank.