Tragic Loss in Channel Crossing: 40-Year-Old Man Dies Attempting to Reach UK
A 40-year-old man died early Sunday while attempting to cross the English Channel from northern France to the UK, marking a somber addition to what has become the deadliest year for Channel crossings.
The man, reported to be of Indian heritage, suffered a cardiac arrest after the inflatable boat he was in with around 50 other people, including women and children, deflated shortly after leaving the French coast. According to officials in Calais, the boat deflated near Tardinghen around 5:30 a.m. local time, forcing everyone onboard to swim back to shore. Despite efforts by emergency responders to revive him on the beach, the man did not survive.
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This tragic incident brings the death toll for Channel crossings in 2024 to 57 lives lost. Although these crossings are increasingly dangerous, the number of attempted crossings continues to rise. As of Saturday, 29,642 people have made the journey this year, already exceeding the total arrivals for 2023, according to Home Office data. It remains unlikely, however, that 2022’s record of 45,755 arrivals will be surpassed.
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Following the return of favorable weather, French officials have reported intensified activity along the northern coastline. In just the last week, 57 crossing events have been recorded, with French police intercepting 32 of these attempts. Police in Équihen-Plage, Calais, and Sangatte also prevented crossings earlier on Sunday.
Officials confirmed the dinghy involved in this fatal incident was in a poor condition and rapidly deflated after setting off. Not all onboard had life jackets, leading to a scramble to return to shore. The Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the incident.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, responded to the tragedy, calling it “yet another tragic and preventable loss of life.” Solomon stressed that “each death is a reminder that those making these perilous journeys are desperate men, women, and children” seeking refuge from war and oppression.