Status: 12/14/2022 1:09 p.m
A boat with up to 50 migrants on board crashed off the coast of England. According to British media, three people have died and 43 have been rescued.
At least three people are said to have died and 43 on board were rescued in a boat accident in the English Channel. This was reported by the British news agency PA and the broadcaster BBC, citing government sources.
The boat was in distress in the early hours of the morning due to the freezing cold. According to Sky News, up to 50 migrants are said to have been on board. Images released by Sky News show people boarding a lifeboat from an overcrowded black inflatable boat in the dark.
Coordinated rescue operation
The Coast Guard, together with the military, police and border guards, coordinated a search and rescue mission that involved at least two helicopters and British and French lifeboats. What exactly happened to the crashed boat is still unclear.
The search for missing people will continue for the rest of the day, Sky News reported, citing inside sources. Due to the low temperatures, however, there is almost no chance of survival.
“For someone to make this journey in these temperatures shows how desperate people are,” said Alex Fraser of the British Red Cross. “No one puts their life on the line unless they feel there is no other option.”
Tens of thousands dared to cross
Thousands of migrants have already dared to make the dangerous crossing towards the United Kingdom – according to the British Ministry of Defense around 40,000 by mid-November this year alone. It’s not the first time the English Channel has become a death trap. About a year ago, around 30 people died in a boat accident in the English Channel.
Sunak wants to take tougher action against illegal migration
The crossings are a thorn in the side of the conservative government in London. She wants to deter the migrants with radical measures. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak only published plans on Tuesday to take tougher action against illegal migration.
British Home Secretary Suella Braverman, known for her radical stance on migration, wrote on Twitter that her thoughts are with everyone affected. You will be kept informed about the “shattering incident” and the authorities are in the process of clarifying the situation. Braverman announced a statement in the House of Commons.
“Caused by a hostile government policy”
Refugee Action chief Tim Naoir Hilton said the disaster was “caused by hostile government policies designed to keep people out of the country rather than safe.”
Gaining control over who comes into the country and under what conditions was one of the key promises of Brexit. In fact, this has become even more difficult for Brits after leaving the EU, as they are no longer part of the EU-wide rules on the jurisdiction of asylum procedures.