WISSANT, France — Three people, including a child, died Monday off northern France when an inflatable “taxi boat” carrying 105 migrants ran into trouble while attempting to cross the English Channel to Britain, French maritime authorities and AFP reported.
The maritime prefecture said it received a distress call in calm seas off Wissant; the dinghy had not sunk, and all passengers requested rescue. A rescue boat later began disembarking survivors at Calais. “Taxi boat” refers to a dinghy that approaches from the sea to pick up migrants in shallow water near the beach.
At least 29 migrants died last year trying to cross one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, according to an AFP tally, with more than 41,000 embarking on the journey. France and the UK signed an April agreement to tighten prevention; a Reform UK proposal last month to have the navy intercept and return boats drew a French rebuke that it would breach international law.
Sources: Al Jazeera / AFP
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