A Sudanese migrant has died while attempting to cross the English Channel to reach the UK. The man, named as Abdulfatah Hamdallah, was carrying documents indicating he was 28, though a surviving friend told French authorities that he was 16.
The pair had been living at the 'Jungle' camp in Calais for two months before attempting the crossing in a small inflatable dinghy they had stolen from a beach hut. They used spades as oars, but one of them accidentally punctured the craft, causing it to capsize.
Hamdallah's body was discovered at Sangatte, near Calais, on Wednesday morning. The friend survived with minor injuries and hypothermia. The deputy public prosecutor in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Philippe Sabatier, described the incident as 'an absolute tragedy'.
Dan O'Mahoney, the UK's newly-appointed clandestine Channel threat commander, met French officials to discuss efforts to prevent such crossings. He said the loss of life was 'a tragic reminder' of the importance of making the route 'completely unviable'. Home Secretary Priti Patel called it 'an upsetting and tragic loss of a young life' and condemned the criminal gangs involved.
