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More than 20 people die in Channel after refugee boat sinks off French coast

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
More than 20 people die in Channel after refugee boat sinks off French coast
Migrants sit onboard a boat navigating in agitated waters between Sangatte and Cap Blanc-Nez (Cape White Nose), in the English Channel off the coast of northern France, as they attempt to cross the maritime borders between France and the United Kingdom on August 27, 2020. - The number of migrants crossing the English Channel -- which is 33,8 km (21 miles) at the closest point in the Straits of Dover -- in small inflatable boats has spiralled over the summer of the 2020. According to authorities in northern France some 6,200 migrants have attempted the crossing between January 1 and August 31, 2020, compared with 2,294 migrants for the whole of 2019. (Photo by Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP)

More than 20 people died on Wednesday attempting to cross the Channel from France to England when their boat sank off the northern port of Calais, authorities said, the deadliest single disaster on the intensively-used migrant route.

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The French interior ministry said in a statement that French patrol vessels found corpses and people unconscious in the water after a fisherman sounded the alarm about the accident.

Police then said in a statement that "more than 20" people had died.

Three helicopters and three boats have been deployed to take part in the search, local authorities said.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, who is heading to the scene, wrote on Twitter that "many people" had died in the incident, adding that "the criminal nature of the smugglers who organise these crossings cannot be condemned enough."

"The disaster in the Channel is a tragedy," added Prime Minister Jean Castex. "My thoughts are with the many missing and injured, victims of criminal smugglers who exploit their distress and misery," he wrote on Twitter.

The disaster, the worst single loss of life recorded in recent times from migrant crossings in the Channel, comes as tensions grow between London and Paris over the record numbers of people crossing.

Britain has urged tougher action from France to stop migrants making the voyage.

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According to the French authorities, 31,500 people attempted to leave for Britain since the start of the year and 7,800 people have been rescued at sea, figures which doubled since August.

Seven people have been confirmed dead or are still missing feared drowned after various incidents this year.

French police said this week they detained 15 suspected members of an international migrant smuggling syndicate that helped people illegally cross the Channel to Britain.

The network of Iraqi Kurds, Romanians, Pakistanis and Vietnamese helped a minimum of 250 people per month cross to England, using small boats that transport up to 60 migrants at a time.

Passage to England would cost a migrant €6,000 and the smugglers racked up some €3 million in total profits.

According to British authorities, more than 25,000 people have now arrived illegally so far this year, already triple the figure recorded in 2020.

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