One person dead, another critical condition after boat carrying migrants sinks
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One person has died and another is in a critical condition in hospital after a boat carrying migrants sank in the English Channel
One person has died and another is in a critical condition in hospital after a boat carrying migrants sank in the English Channel.
They were among at least 66 people on the inflatable dinghy which got into difficulty about fives miles (8km) off the northern French coast, according to the coastguard.
The survivors have been taken to Calais while a search is continuing by air and sea.
Rescuers reached the craft at about 1am local time and found one of the boat’s tubes was deflated and people were in the water.
Two of the migrants were found unconscious. One in a life-threatening condition was airlifted to hospital by helicopter, while a second person could not be revived.
The rescue happened off the coast near Grand-Fort Philippe, 12 miles (20km) east of Calais.
Government minister Andrew Griffith said the latest tragedy underlined why the crossing was “not a safe route” and why Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was “cracking down on the terrible trade of people traffickers”.
Reacting to the incident on Sky News, Mr Griffith said: “All of these are tragic stories.
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“It shows once again the importance of cracking down on the terrible trade of people traffickers in the Channel. It is not a safe route, it is not a safe crossing. People shouldn’t need to do that.
“It is why it is really important that the government is taking action… to absolutely remove the incentive, break the economic model of people smugglers, so that we can stop this terrible trade.”
But Enver Solomon, chief executive officer of the Refugee Council, said: “This is yet another terrible and avoidable tragedy.
“These appalling deaths are becoming too common and there is an urgent need to put in place safe routes so people don’t have to take dangerous journeys across the world’s busiest shipping lane.
“People flee persecution and violence out of desperation, to find safety and protect their families. The government must take action now and respond in a compassionate way to prevent future tragedies and protect human life.”
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