A pregnant woman and six children among the dead says French official A pregnant woman was among the 12 people who died after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the Channel, the mayor of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Frédéric Cuvillier, told the BBC. Guirec Le Bras, the Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor, confirmed at least 12 people died – including six minors and 10 females. Adding that those who died were “primarily of Eritrean origin”, but that officials “do not have consolidated details that would allow us to specify the exact nationalities”. Fewer than eight people were wearing lifejackets on the overcrowded vessel, according to French Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin. Rescuers saved 51 people from the boat, including two who are in a critical condition. Summary of the day At least 12 people died crossing the Channel today after an overcrowded boat capsized. Among the dead were 1o women and six children. Officials say those who died were “primarily of Eritrean origin”. Rescuers saved 51 people from the boat, including two who are in a critical condition. A pregnant woman was among the 12 people who died after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the Channel, the mayor of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Frédéric Cuvillier, told the BBC. Speaking from Boulogne-sur-Mer, France’s interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said the UK only “pays a fraction” of what the French government spends on preventing migrant deaths on the Channel. France’s interior minister, Gérald Darmanin a “migration treaty” between the UK and the European Union needs to be established. “We really do need to work together to stop these things happening,” he said. The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, described the deaths as a horrifying and deeply tragic incident.” Cooper emphasised the need to “dismantle” the criminal smuggler gangs who are cramming “more and more people on to increasingly unseaworthy dinghies, and sending them out into the Channel even in very poor weather.” Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said “the number of deaths in the Channel this year has been shockingly high. It is a devastating trend that shows the urgent need for a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to reduce dangerous Channel crossings.” 21,403 people have crossed the Channel this year, a slight increase in the same period as the previous year but far fewer than in 2022, when 45,755, the highest number since records began in 2018, made the journey. Approximately 83% of those who arrived in the 12 months to June were male, and 40% of them were aged between 25 and 39 years old. Lt Etienne Baggio, a spokesperson for the French agency that oversees the stretch of sea where the boat capsized, said it was the deadliest migrant boat tragedy in the Channel this year. In July, four people died while attempting the crossing on an inflatable boat that capsized and punctured. Five others, including a child, died in another attempt in April. And five bodies were recovered from the sea, or found washed up on a beach, after a boat ran into difficulties in the dark and winter cold of January. The tragedy is believed to have been the second worst in number of fatalities since the small boats crisis began. Here’s our story covering the tragedy today A pregnant woman and six children among the dead says French official A pregnant woman was among the 12 people who died after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the Channel, the mayor of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Frédéric Cuvillier, told the BBC. Guirec Le Bras, the Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor, confirmed at least 12 people died – including six minors and 10 females. Adding that those who died were “primarily of Eritrean origin”, but that officials “do not have consolidated details that would allow us to specify the exact nationalities”. Fewer than eight people were wearing lifejackets on the overcrowded vessel, according to French Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin. Rescuers saved 51 people from the boat, including two who are in a critical condition. “Increased coastline security and restriction of viable routes is only pushing asylum seekers to take riskier journeys,” writes Rajeev Syal, the Guardian’s Home Affairs Editor. The grimly familiar sight of body bags being unloaded from search and rescue boats was witnessed again by the reporters on the shores of Northern France on Tuesday. And again, ministers from both the UK and French governments expressed their horror at another mass drowning of people trying to reach the UK. The charities that work closely with asylum seekers say thatthe policies of both governments may be inadvertently increasing the number of deaths of people seeking safety in the UK. Charities and Labour figures such as Alfred Dubs have said that the reason that so many people fleeing war and torture are coming to the UK by small boats – including those from Syria, Sudan and Iran – is because there are no viable alternatives… Border security and asylum minister, Dame Angela Eagle, says that today’s deaths on the Channel represents a “worrying trend” as boats become more crammed with people. Eagle says: “The quality of boats is deteriorating, so these crossings are getting more and more dangerous as time goes on. “They’re always dangerous, this is a very, very busy shipping lane, but the danger and the risk seems to be rising and today’s tragic incident is a representation of that.” Speaking from Boulogne-sur-Mer, France’s interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said the UK only “pays a fraction” of what the French government spends on preventing migrant deaths on the Channel. We have to absolutely re-establish some relations with our friends in the UK, and with the UK Government I’ve had a lot of conversations with the four interior ministers that visited the UK recently. And I think it’s really important that it’s the role of the government to negotiate … We need a treaty – a migration treaty between the UK and the European Union – because the people who go now [are] people from the core of Africa who want to go to the UK and they want to join their families and they actually work in conditions that would not be accepted [in] France. And so we really do need to work together to stop these things happening. According to the BBC, 21,403 people have crossed the Channel this year, a slight increase in the same period as the previous year but far fewer than in 2022, when 45,755, the highest number since records began in 2018, made the journey. As of the year ending June 2024, Afghans were the preponderant group making the journey across the Channel, followed by Iranian nationals. Approximately 83% of those who arrived in the 12 months to June were male, and 40% of them were aged between 25 and 39 years old. CEO of global children’s charity Plan International UK, Rose Caldwell, has called on the government to establish safe routes to the UK for asylum seekers. No one – let alone a child – should ever have to risk their life to find safety, but the current lack of safe routes means this is often the only option. It is essential that the Government now develops a framework to improve and expand safe routes for claiming asylum to ensure that no one else will have to risk their lives to find safety. Before Tuesday, the French coastguard had recorded at least 19 Channel crossing deaths in 2024, including nine since the start of July. The International Organisation for Migration, which records Channel crossing deaths, estimates 226 people including 35 children are missing or have died as of January 2024. On X, the shadow home secretary, James Cleverly, said: “This is tragic & it cannot continue. “It is not enough to talk about ‘smashing the gangs’ when the real-life consequences are so serious. Labour must re-establish the deterrent that the NCA said we need to stop vulnerable people being exploited and secure our border.” Home secretary Yvette Cooper said:“What has happened off the coast at Le Portel is a horrifying and deeply tragic incident. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of all those who have lost their lives, and all those who have been seriously injured. I am in touch with my counterpart in France, Gérald Darmanin, and am being kept updated on the situation. We pay tribute to the French coastguard and emergency services who undoubtedly saved many lives, but sadly could not save everyone. We will await the results of the French investigation into how this particular incident unfolded. The gangs behind this appalling and callous trade in human lives have been cramming more and more people on to increasingly unseaworthy dinghies, and sending them out into the Channel even in very poor weather. They do not care about anything but the profits they make, and that is why – as well as mourning the awful loss of life – the work to dismantle these dangerous and criminal smuggler gangs and to strengthen border security is so vital and must proceed apace. Summary of the day thus far At least 12 people died after their boat capsized in the Channel. The outgoing French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said that rescue operations were still underway to find two missing people. Olivier Barbarin, the mayor of Le Portel near the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, said that “unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open.” Over 50 people were reportedly rescued. Civil society groups spoke out about the incident. Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais said “every political leader, on both sides of our Channel, needs to be asked how many lives will be lost before they end these avoidable tragedies?” Alex Fraser, the British Red Cross UK director for refugee support, said “nobody risks their life travelling across the Channel in a small boat unless they feel they have no other choice. More safe routes are urgently needed.” Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said “the number of deaths in the Channel this year has been shockingly high. It is a devastating trend that shows the urgent need for a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to reduce dangerous Channel crossings.” Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais said “all of us, particularly our team in Calais, are devastated by this latest tragedy.” Every political leader, on both sides of our Channel, needs to be asked how many lives will be lost before they end these avoidable tragedies? Their continued obsession, and investment, in security measures is not reducing crossings, it is simply pushing people to take ever increasing risks to do so. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome is political lunacy. It’s time politicians were held accountable for their choice to dehumanise people seeking sanctuary from horrors back home. It’s time they ended these tragedies and introduced safe routes. Alex Fraser, the British Red Cross UK director for refugee support, said that “we are devastated to hear that people have lost their lives while attempting to cross the Channel today.” “Nobody risks their life travelling across the Channel in a small boat unless they feel they have no other choice. More safe routes are urgently needed to help prevent people from taking dangerous journeys to reach the UK,” he said.