5 migrants died crossing the Channel, a toll that could rise

This Tuesday morning, at least five migrants lost their lives during an attempt to cross the Channel off Wimereux beach. Research is still ongoing.

This Tuesday morning, searches are still underway in Wimereux, in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, after several attempts by migrants to cross the Channel. According to an initial report from the prefecture, at least five people died: three men, a woman and a child. According to La Voix du Nord, several boats had set sail at dawn from the German beach of Wimereux to reach England, wishing to take advantage of the relatively calm sailing conditions.

If the boat ran aground the first time on a sandbank, it returned to sea. “A crowd movement would have occurred in the overloaded boat, generating several victims,” explained the prefecture. The 4-year-old child was apparently crushed to death by the other passengers. An investigation was opened with the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor's office.

Rescue operations have been put in place and are continuing. Rescuers are still looking for a boat. According to the mayor of Wimereux, from BFM Grand Littoral, 48 people were rescued on the tugboat l'Abeille Flandre. Search conditions were difficult this morning with a temperature around 0 degrees in the air and less than 10 degrees in the water. The town beach was closed.

The migrant aid association Osmose 62 is also on site. Dany Patoux, one of the volunteers, told France 3 about the return of some rescued shipwreck victims, including the father who lost his daughter. "We knew the little girl well. We have photos with her, with a big smile in the hope of a better life. But now, everything is ruined. The father fell into our arms right away. hour. He is crying, in a daze. He saw his little girl die before his eyes,” he described.

This is the second tragedy of this kind to occur near Wimereux. On the night of January 13 to 14, five migrants died in Wimereux while trying to reach a boat already at sea. In 2023, 35,800 migrants were rescued while trying to cross the Channel. 30 deaths have been recorded as well as 11 disappearances at sea. Since the start of the year, the number of crossings has exploded compared to last year. In the first quarter of 2024, 4,600 exiles managed to cross the Channel, according to the British authorities. This represents an increase of 23% over the period compared to 2023.