CALAIS (France): Five migrants died and a sixth was in critical condition on Sunday after trying to reach Britain from northern France in freezing temperatures, the French maritime authority said.
More than 30 people were rescued, the maritime prefecture said in a statement.
The fatalities were the first reported migrant deaths on the Channel in 2024.
Authorities said four migrants died overnight, while a fifth body was found later on the beach.
The group was attempting to reach a vessel off the resort town of Wimereux when their small boat got into difficulty around two am (0100 GMT), the maritime prefecture said.
The crew of a French tow vessel, the Abeille Normandie, went to the rescue and spotted “unconscious and lifeless people” in the water, an official said, estimating the water temperature at nine degrees Celsius.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.