Life jackets and an inflatable boat abandoned after a failed attempt by migrants to cross the Channel to England, December 4, 2024, on Sangatte beach, near Calais BERNARD BARRON / AFP
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The tragedies in the Channel continue until the middle of winter: three people died this Sunday, December 29 in an illegal crossing, a tragedy which brings to at least 76 the number of migrants who died this year in such attempts, a record.
Three people died and “seven people are in relative emergency”indicated the mayor of Sangatte (Pas-de-Calais), Guy Allemand, to AFP. The tragedy took place near Blériot-Plage in Sangatte, according to a source close to the emergency services, mentioning two adult men who died.
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Around 6 a.m., several people found themselves in the water after trying to board an overloaded boat, the Channel and North Sea maritime prefecture (Prémar) told AFP.
Around fifty were taken care of on land, either by associations or by State services, and several resources were deployed at sea, including a helicopter from the national navy, indicated the maritime prefecture. Among these people, many were in a situation of hypothermia, continued Prémar.
According to the same source, the boat continued on its way.
A very important rescue system was deployed on site, with around thirty firefighter, civil protection, police and CRS vehicles, noted an AFP correspondent.
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A helicopter was still flying over the area mid-morning.
“People on site immediately told us that a child had fallen into the water, we had no information on a child found”indicated Célestin Pichaud, coordinator of the migrant aid association Utopia 56 in Grande-Synthe. A team from Utopia 56, which arrived on site around 6:20 a.m., gave pants and socks to the soaked people while help arrived.
1,500 migrants in four days
Since Christmas, despite the winter weather, light winds have favored crossing attempts.
Between Wednesday December 25 and Saturday December 28, nearly 1,500 migrants reached English waters aboard “small boats”, frail boats that are often overloaded, according to figures communicated by the British authorities. Since January, more than 36,000 people have successfully crossed by this means.
“Many departures” took place again this Sunday morning, according to Prémar. “It doesn’t stop, it’s crossing after crossing, there is no decline, quite the contrary”reacted the mayor of Sangatte to AFP. The system put in place is “unprecedented in the town”he assured, specifying that 41 migrants are welcomed within the town's nautical base, supervised by the police.
With at least 76 deaths, a record, the year 2024 was very deadly for candidates for exile to England who are taking more risks to brave an ultra-secure border.
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Since the appearance of “small boats” in this area in 2018, the crossings have evolved, marked by “increasing risk-taking by smugglers”observed the Prémar in mid-December. Their boats are “poor quality” et “unsuitable” crossing the Strait of Pas-de-Calais, subject to difficult weather conditions and which concentrates nearly 25% of global maritime traffic, she specifies.
By Le Nouvel Obs with AFP
