France : Woman Dies and Dozens of Migrants Rescued in Latest Channel Crossing Attempt

On Sunday, July 28, a tragic incident occurred off the coast of Calais, where a woman lost her life while aboard a migrant dinghy, according to reports from the French maritime authorities for the Channel and the North Sea (Préfecture Maritime Manche et mer du Nord).

The incident was reported after a distress call was received by the coordination center for rescue operations during the night between July 27 and July 28. In response, a patrol boat, Armoise, from the naval police (Gendarmerie maritime) and a coast guard boat, Kermorvan, were dispatched to locate the boat in distress.

At approximately 5:30 AM on Sunday morning, rescue teams discovered an overcrowded boat struggling in the waters. Many onboard were pleading for assistance. French news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that 75 migrants were aboard the vessel.

The rescue operation saw the evacuation of four individuals, including a woman who was found unconscious. Despite being airlifted to a hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer, the woman was sadly pronounced dead upon arrival.

The rescue mission continued, though some migrants refused assistance from the authorities. Weighing the risks of a forced transfer, officials decided to allow the remaining migrants to continue their journey. In total, 35 individuals were brought ashore and handed over to emergency services and border police.

The French maritime authorities later reported that another boat, carrying six migrants, required assistance off the coast of Dunkerque. These individuals were safely brought back to Calais.

According to the British Guardian newspaper, the deceased woman was reportedly a Syrian national who may have suffocated, and many others on board were also from Syria. This incident underscores a growing concern over the increasing number of people being crammed onto small boats attempting to cross the Channel.

Alarm Phone, an organization monitoring migrant crossings, highlighted that recent incidents involved boats carrying as many as 86 people, contributing to a rise in fatalities. The French maritime authority confirmed that 23 people have died in similar incidents in the Channel so far this year.

Despite the dangers, the number of attempted crossings continues to rise. On July 28 alone, 255 migrants crossed the Channel in four small boats, bringing the total number of arrivals in 2024 to over 16,000.

The French organization Utopia 56, which supports migrants, noted an alarming increase in the number of people attempting the perilous journey. Volunteers witnessed four boats departing the French coastline on Monday, July 29, as migrants, including families with young children, continued to take significant risks in search of safety.