A child is believed to have drowned while attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat, according to reports from France. The teenager’s body was discovered on a beach in Saint-Étienne-au-Mont on Sunday. This tragedy follows three other fatalities over the weekend, including two Somali women who were reportedly crushed in a boat and a man whose body was found in a canal near Dunkirk.

On Saturday, 895 individuals crossed the Channel in 12 boats, contributing to a total of over 33,300 small boat crossings this year. The spike in crossings was attributed to improved weather conditions after a six-day period of poor weather. Following the incidents, an investigation has been initiated by the Boulogne-sur-Mer public prosecutor.

Laurent Touvet, prefect of Pas-de-Calais, reported 41 maritime incidents related to crossing attempts since Friday evening, with 223 shipwrecked individuals receiving assistance since Saturday morning. He emphasized the state’s commitment to combating dangerous crossings orchestrated by criminal networks.

In recent developments, the UK and France have implemented a “one in, one out” policy to deter crossings, returning seven individuals to France while a small family recently made it to the UK. The British government has also placed warnings in Calais and Dunkirk about the risks associated with Channel crossings.



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