English Channel Tragedy as Two Women and 10-Year-Old Die on Overcrowded Migrant Boat Despite Calm Seas

Three migrants, including a 10-year-old boy, have died after an overcrowded dinghy carrying around 105 people got into trouble in the English Channel despite calm seas and good weather.

The victims were two women in their 30s and a 10-year-old boy, all believed to be Eritrean. French authorities said they appeared to have been crushed in the overcrowded dinghy rather than drowned, with the boy reportedly travelling with his mother and siblings.

The incident happened in the early hours of Monday, 28 September, off Wissant near Calais in northern France, as the group attempted to reach Britain.

Around 102 other passengers were rescued, while several passengers required medical attention and were treated in Calais. French prosecutors have opened an investigation into the deaths.

Migrants Were Crushed on Overcrowded Boat

French authorities stated that the dinghy was carrying more people than it was designed to accommodate, highlighting the extreme conditions aboard the small vessel. Officials described the boat as a 'water taxi', saying it had arrived relatively empty from an inland waterway before picking up passengers from the beach.

A spokesman for the Pas-de-Calais prefecture said the deaths appeared to have resulted from crushing inside the overcrowded vessel. 'Apparently there was no drowning,' the spokesman said, adding that the deaths were 'likely crushing'.

Officials are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding how the boat got into trouble and examining what exactly happened during the attempted crossing.

Calm Seas During Channel Crossing

The deaths occurred despite what French authorities described as favourable conditions for a Channel crossing. 'Sea conditions were calm – the weather is good,' a Pas-de-Calais prefecture spokesman said.

'These days of autumn, when the weather is still good, but the sea is already starting to become dangerous,' Lauch said. 'It is during these times that crossings are the most dangerous.'

Six rescue boats were involved in the emergency response, with teams searching the area and helping survivors after the incident.

The rescue operation also involved medical teams treating passengers who had been injured during the crossing.

The incident came just days after three other migrants died while scrambling for places aboard a boat attempting to cross the Channel. French prosecutors have also opened criminal investigations into those deaths.

The repeated fatalities have drawn attention to the dangers faced by migrants attempting the crossing in small and heavily loaded vessels, even when weather and sea conditions appear relatively settled.

Channel Death Toll Rises

The latest deaths bring the number of people who have died while attempting to cross the Channel to Britain this year to at least 22, according to an AFP tally based on official French and British sources.

The deadliest single incident came in November 2021, when 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while attempting to reach the UK. Monday's latest deaths add to a series of fatal incidents involving small boats travelling from northern France to Britain.

Meanwhile, crossings have continued amid favourable weather. UK Home Office figures cited in reports show that 781 migrants arrived in Britain last Wednesday, 23 September, the highest single-day total recorded so far this year.

A total of 18,609 migrants had reached the UK via small boats by last week, according to the latest figures cited by AFP, with crossings down 42 per cent year-on-year.