Deadliest Migrant Disaster of 2024: At Least 12 Dead in Channel Crossing Attempt
At least 12 migrants tragically lost their lives off the northern French coast on Tuesday while attempting to cross the Channel to England, marking the deadliest such disaster this year. The French government reported that a major rescue operation was underway following the incident, which occurred near the town of Wimereux, about five kilometers from Boulogne-sur-Mer.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin confirmed the death toll on the social media platform X, adding that two migrants were still missing. Several others were seriously wounded after their boat, carrying dozens of migrants, encountered trouble in the treacherous waters.
Darmanin, who announced that he would be traveling to the disaster site to meet with officials, emphasized the government’s full mobilization in the rescue effort. “All government services are mobilized to find the missing people and treat the injured,” he said.
French maritime authorities noted that emergency services were providing urgent medical assistance, with many of the survivors in critical condition. A source close to the investigation revealed that the deceased included three minors.
The Minck, a French government-operated ship, was the first to respond to the emergency, according to naval officer Etienne Baggio. French navy helicopters, fishing boats, and military vessels were also deployed to assist in the ongoing rescue operation.
This tragedy is the worst of its kind this year, bringing the total number of migrant deaths in Channel crossings to 25, surpassing the 2023 toll of 12. The French and British governments have long sought to stem the flow of migrants making the perilous journey, often paying smugglers thousands of euros per head for passage to England.
Despite these efforts, the numbers remain high. On Monday alone, 351 migrants successfully crossed the Channel in small boats, bringing the total to 21,615 for the year, according to UK government statistics. The dangers of such crossings were highlighted in November 2021 when 27 migrants perished after their boat capsized in what remains the deadliest single incident to date.
French authorities face a challenging dilemma: while they aim to prevent migrants from embarking on these dangerous journeys, they typically do not intervene once boats are in the water, except for rescue operations, citing safety concerns.
The ongoing crisis has prompted renewed discussions between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who earlier this summer pledged to strengthen cooperation in managing the surge of undocumented migrants.
In response to the crisis, Starmer canceled a controversial plan by the previous Conservative government to send irregular migrants to a holding camp in Rwanda. Instead, the British government is now planning a “major surge” in returning irregular migrants to their home countries, including Iraq, as part of an effort to address the growing asylum backlog.
Both the French and British governments continue to focus on dismantling the people-smuggling networks that facilitate these dangerous crossings, as they work to address the broader challenges of migration and border control.
