Paris: At least 12 people have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the English Channel on Tuesday morning, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
“Terrible shipwreck in Pas-de-Calais, off Wimereux. The provisional toll stands at 12 dead, two missing and several injured,” Darmanin said in a post on X as he prepared to leave for the rescue centre set up at Boulogne-sur-Mer.
He adds that emergency services are working to find those still missing and take care of the victims.
The French Coast Guard said that 53 people have been rescued from the incident, the BBC reported.
It said that 65 people have been recovered, including the 12 people who died.
In a statement, the Coast Guard said that several of the 53 survivors required urgent medical attention and a medical post has been set up to care for them at Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Search operations are still ongoing, it added.
The French coastguard said that they learnt a boat was sinking late on Tuesday morning off the coast of Cap Gris-Nez, southwest of Calais, and a standby rescue vessel that was nearby reached the scene.
Shortly afterwards, several other ships were deployed – including two fishing boats, a French Navy boat and boats from a French lifeboat charity.
Helicopters, including one of the Navy, were also pressed into service.
As per the BBC, Monday’s accident takes the toll of the migrants who have died trying to cross to England in 2024 to 37. French officials blame the rising death toll on unscrupulous traffickers cramming too many people on unseaworthy craft.
Meanwhile, more than 20,000 people have made the perilous crossing this year, putting pressure on the UK’s new Labour government, who have asserted that they will deal with the issue.
(IANS)
