Tragedy struck in the English Channel overnight as four migrants drowned off the coast of Boulogne sur Mer on France’s northern coast while attempting to cross to Britain, the French maritime police reported on Friday, July 12.
The incident unfolded when a navy patrol boat was alerted to several migrants who had fallen into the sea. A rescue operation ensued, and while several individuals were saved, four people winched out of the water by helicopter were declared dead.
This latest incident brings the total number of migrant deaths this year in the Channel to 19. The perilous journey from France to Britain often involves overloaded boats, heightening the risk of such tragedies.
Earlier this year, on April 23, five migrants died under similar circumstances off the French coast.
Despite the annual loss of dozens of lives in the Channel, governments have yet to implement the necessary measures to prevent these tragedies and save human lives.
