One lifeless and one other combating for all times after small boat carrying 66 migrants sinks in Channel

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One individual is lifeless and one other is combating for his or her life after a small boat crossing the English Channel sank early this morning, in accordance with French authorities.

The boat, carrying 66 migrants, was found shipwrecked round 6km (3.7miles) from the French coast at round 1am on Friday.

The survivors have been taken to Calais, the place the injured individual is being handled in hospital. Searches are persevering with by air and sea, the coastguard mentioned.

The boat was found at 1am native time (12am GMT) with a deflated tube surrounded by folks within the water as authorities rushed to rescue them.

Thus far this yr greater than 29,000 folks have reached the UK in small boats. This represents a fall of round a 3rd on the identical interval final yr.

File photograph of migrants crossing the English Channel in a small boat

(PA Wire)

There have been greater than 45,700 arrivals in 2022. There have been 28,526 in 2021, in contrast with 8,466 in 2020, 1,843 in 2019 and 299 in 2018.

The UK authorities has mentioned that “stopping the boats” crossing the English Channel is a key political precedence and is pushing forward with a plan to ship some asylum seekers to Rwanda, regardless of the Supreme Courtroom ruling that the coverage is illegal.

Beforehand, the House Workplace mentioned the “unacceptable” variety of folks making the crossing is “inserting an unprecedented pressure on our asylum system”.

The English Channel is likely one of the most harmful and busiest delivery lanes on the planet, with 600 tankers and 200 ferries passing by means of it each day.

In August, not less than six folks died after a ship carrying migrants sank within the Channel off the French coast.

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