A man has died after being pulled from the English Channel near Berck, France, in the latest tragedy involving migrants attempting the dangerous crossing. French authorities reported that the man, believed to be in his 20s and of Sudanese origin, was found unconscious and pulled from the water after going overboard.
A total of 32 people were rescued with hypothermia, including five who were stranded on a sandbank. The Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor has opened an investigation into the incident. The death comes despite sub-zero temperatures on the French coast, with at least one boat reported to have reached the UK.
Video purportedly filmed from Dover on Friday showed a Border Force boat bringing at least 25 people, including women and children, to shore. Multiple Border Force vessels have been active in the Channel. On Thursday, at least 271 people on board ten small boats reached Britain, including a young child. So far this year, more than 450 people have made the life-threatening trip, following a record-breaking 2021.
Mike Adamson, chief executive of the British Red Cross, expressed devastation at the loss of life, stating: 'It should be unacceptable to us that people are having to make dangerous crossings in freezing conditions in search of safety.' He urged the government to rethink its asylum plans and create safe routes, including a commitment to resettle 10,000 people a year.
A spokesperson for Channel Rescue said: 'Our hearts go out to their loved ones. This tragedy could have been prevented by providing safe routes. The inhumane policies of the British and EU governments must come to an end.'
