A 27-year-old Sudanese national has been arrested on suspicion of endangering life after four people died attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat on Thursday. The suspect was detained by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers at the Manston processing centre in Kent on Friday.
The victims—two men and two women—were swept away by strong currents while trying to board a dinghy off the French coast, according to François-Xavier Lauch, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais. The vessel was described as a 'taxi-boat', used by smugglers to pick up migrants along the shores of northern France and Belgium.
Human rights organisations, including Humans For Rights Network and Project Play, condemned UK and French policies they say have led to increased use of such boats. 'Such embarcations are a direct result of policies pursued by the UK and France which have seen an intensification in the violent interception of people and boats on the beaches of northern France,' the groups stated.
The arrest was made under the new Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, on suspicion of 'endangering another during a journey by sea to the UK'. The suspect remains in police custody for questioning. NCA deputy director Craig Turner said: 'Working with colleagues at home and abroad, we are determined to do all we can to identify and bring to justice those responsible for these four tragic deaths.'
Mike Tapp, the minister for migration and citizenship, commented: 'Every death in the Channel is a tragedy. Our experienced law enforcement teams will continue working relentlessly with international partners to prevent these perilous journeys and bring those responsible to justice.' A French-led investigation into the circumstances of the launch and fatalities continues.
