The tragedies in the Channel continue in the middle of winter: three people died on Sunday in an illegal crossing, bringing to at least 76 – a record – the number of migrants who have died this year in such attempts.
The three victims were recovered by the National Navy helicopter and transported to the Sangatte nautical base (Pas-de-Calais) where their death was noted, indicated the maritime prefecture (Prémar) and the prefecture of Pas-de-Calais in a joint press release.
The first two would be adult men, according to a source close to the emergency services, as would the third victim, “apparently male, of age”, according to the mayor of Sangatte Guy Allemand.
Four people in relative emergency “were transported to the hospital centers of Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer”, added the prefectures, stressing that “the search for potential shipwreck victims at sea continues”.
Around 6 a.m., several people found themselves in the water after trying to board an already overloaded boat on Sangatte beach, authorities explained, according to which the inflatable boat continued on its way to England.
Around 6:20 a.m., a team from Utopia 56 came across around fifteen exiles, soaked, on a road near Blériot-Plage, a beach in Sangatte, then another group of around thirty migrants in the same state, declared to AFP Célestin Pichaud, coordinator of this association helping exiles. They were able to give them socks and pants before help arrived.
– “hypothermia” –
A very important rescue system was deployed on site, with around thirty firefighter, civil protection, police and CRS vehicles, noted an AFP correspondent.
Forty-five people were treated on land, “most of them hypothermic,” the prefectures said.
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.
Since Christmas, despite the winter weather, light winds have favored crossing attempts.
Between Wednesday and Saturday, 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 crossed by this means.
“Many departures” took place again on Sunday morning, according to Prémar. Utopia 56 received four calls from boats in distress, according to Célestin Pichaud.
– “we stay on curative” –
“We started the year on January 14 with five deaths, we end the year with three deaths on the coast because nothing changes,” regretted Flore Judet, coordinator of L’Auberge des migrants, who participated on site. in the night on the marauding of Utopia 56.
The system put in place is “unprecedented in the town”, Guy Allemand assured AFP.
Despite reinforcements announced at the end of November by the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau, “the means remain insufficient or not necessarily effective insofar as we remain on curative measures”, the mayor then estimated to the press.
“The only way to avoid (these tragedies) is to open the debate with England,” he assured, a request that he has already made in recent months with several coastal city councilors, gathered collectively to demand a standoff with the United Kingdom.
With at least 76 deaths, the year 2024 was the deadliest at sea for candidates for exile to England who are taking more risks to brave an ultra-secure border.
Since the appearance of “small boats” in this area in 2018, crossings have evolved, marked by “increasing risk-taking by smugglers”, observed Prémar in mid-December.
Their boats are of “poor quality” and “unsuitable” for crossing the Strait of Pas-de-Calais, subject to difficult weather conditions and which concentrates nearly 25% of world maritime traffic, she recalls.
