Two People Confirmed Dead After Small Boat Capsized Near France on Its Way to UK

A group of people thought to be migrants crossing the Channel in a small boat traveling from the coast of France and heading in the direction of Dover, Kent on Aug. 29, 2023. (PA Media)

Two people have drowned after a small boat, carrying migrants, capsized less than a kilometre from the French shore on Wednesday.

The dinghy, carrying more than 50 people, sank soon after it set off to cross the English Channel from the French coast, near the town of Neufchatel-Hardelot. As a result, a man and a woman were confirmed dead, while one person was airlifted from the scene.

At least 57 others, suffering from hypothermia, were rescued by boat and taken to the French town of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

The capsized dinghy was among several other small boats, that left the French coast on Wednesday. It got into difficulty in French waters soon after 1 p.m. and drowned.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the coastguard helicopter, who were notified of the incident, brought some people to Dungeness in Kent.

An RNLI spokesman said on Thursday that “an RNLI lifeboat” was involved in an ongoing rescue mission.

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Maritime and Coastguard Agency has confirmed that HM Coastguard was working with the French Coastguard, in response to the incident.

“HM Coastguard will continue to work with partners to respond to those in distress around the seas and coastal areas of the UK,” a spokesman said.

Reacting to the incident, the UK government stressed how important it is to stop small boat crossings.

In the past seven days, seven boats carrying 356 migrants were detected crossing the English Channel without permission to enter the UK. This year saw more than 27,300 people making unauthorised crossings of the English Channel.

The most common small vessels detected making illegal crossings are rigid-hulled inflatable boats, dinghies and kayaks.

Unprecedented Strain

Speaking about the two people who died as a result of the small boat incident on Wednesday, Downing Street said: “These deaths are devastating and our thoughts are with the victims’ family and friends at this time. This is a tragic reminder of the extreme dangers of this evil trade and of how vital it is that we stop the boats.”

Stopping small boats is one of the government’s top priorities, amid what Downing Street considers “an unprecedented strain” on the UK asylum system.

Last week, Home Office plans to transport asylum seekers to Rwanda, were ruled to be unlawful by the UK Supreme Court.

This dealt a blow to the government’s controversial asylum policy, designed to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel on small boats.

The Rwanda policy was backed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

After the ruling, Mr. Sunak said it was “not the outcome we wanted” but he said he remained, “completely committed to stopping the boats.”

The newly appointed home secretary, James Cleverly, said last week that the Rwanda scheme was just part of the government’s plan to stop small boat crossings.

“We are determined to break the business model of these evil people-smuggling gangs. We are determined to protect our borders,” Mr. Cleverly said.

Mr. Cleverly must be the one to “face up to reality,” Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, Steve Valdez-Symonds, has suggested.

He argued that people will continue dangerous attempts to cross the English Channel.

“We urge ministers to radically change their focus—rather than trying to avoid all responsibility for asylum, the UK must accept its part in providing safety and encourage other countries to do the same,” Mr. Valdez-Symonds added.

Commenting on the Wednesday capsizing and the deaths of two people, the chief executive of the Refugee Council, Enver Solomon, called for safe routes for asylum seekers.

This will prevent “men women and children from countries such as Afghanistan, from taking dangerous journeys across the world’s busiest shipping lane,” he argued.

A recent survey by Migration Watch showed that 52 percent of respondents considered small boat migrants as a security threat to the UK.

The sentiment was particularly pronounced among skilled workers who made up 66 percent of those who agreed, Migrant Watch said, while 78 percent of those identified themselves as Conservative party supporters.

PA contributed to this report.