 "12 migrants die while crossing the English Channel, France calls for EU-Britain migration treaty")
At least 12 migrants have died while crossing the English Channel, according to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Darmanin said that 12 were killed, two remain missing, and several are injured.
“Terrible shipwreck in Pas-de-Calais, off Wimereux. The provisional toll stands at 12 dead, 2 missing and several injured. All government services are mobilised to find the missing and take care of the victims. I go to the elected officials and the emergency services (sic),” said Darmanin, as per an English translation of the post.
Terrible naufrage dans le Pas-de-Calais, au large de Wimereux. Le bilan provisoire s’élève à 12 personnes décédées, 2 disparus et plusieurs blessés. Tous les services de l’État sont mobilisés pour retrouver les disparus et prendre en charge les victimes. Je me rends auprès des…
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) September 3, 2024
The migrants were trying to cross the English Channel in a boat to illegally enter the United Kingdom. The accident occurred when their boat capsized off the coast of the French town of Wimereux.
The boat had as many as 100 people and around 50 of them were rescued by French authorities in ongoing search and rescue operations, according to British newspaper.
This is the worst such incident of migrant deaths so far this year.
The hunt for a solution
Darmanin called for a treaty on migration between the EU and Britain after the death of the migrants.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsDarmanin said that the European Union should seek to “re-establish a traditional migration relationship with our British friends and neighbours.”
He went on to add that regular British payments to France to prevent irregular migration covered only “a third of what we are spending”.
English Channel: A deadly passage
The English Channel is the major route for illegal entry into the United Kingdom. In the past seven days alone, the government figures show that more than 2,000 people arrived in the UK illegally through the route. The newspaper reported that, as of August 29, a total of 20,644 people have entered the UK illegally through the English Channel.
While the idea behind such illegal entry into the UK is to seek asylum status, the British government last year brought in the Illegal Migration Act which states that all those who arrived in the UK by small boats after July 20, 2023 would not be eligible for asylum.
The English Channel illegal crossings are also inherently dangerous as boats are often makeshift which collapse under the waves or capsize due to overcrowding. The Tuesday’s accident is the deadliest such this year, according to AFP.
The agency reported that 25 people have been killed while crossing the English Channel so far this year, which is more than the toll of the entire last year of 12.
_This article has been updated to include Darmanin’s call for a treaty on migration.
_
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
