At Least 13 Dead After Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Northern France

(PARIS) — A ship carrying migrants ripped aside within the English Channel as they tried to succeed in Britain from northern France on Tuesday, plunging dozens into the treacherous waterway and leaving 13 dead, officers mentioned.

“Unfortunately, the underside of the boat ripped open,” mentioned Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel close to the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, the place a primary support put up was set as much as deal with victims. “It’s a giant drama.”

He mentioned 13 migrants have been killed, a toll confirmed by a maritime rescue official who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not approved to debate particulars of the operation.

“If individuals do not know easy methods to swim within the agitated waters … it could actually go in a short time,” the mayor mentioned.

Lt. Etienne Baggio, a spokesman for the French maritime prefecture that oversees that stretch of sea, mentioned “greater than 10” individuals have been dead after the boat broke up however he didn’t have an actual quantity.

The officers mentioned rescuers recovered 61 individuals from the waters. The prefecture mentioned the boat obtained into issue off Gris-Nez level between Boulogne-sur-Mer and the port of Calais additional north.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin mentioned he was heading to the scene of what he described because the “horrible shipwreck.” He mentioned 12 individuals died and two have been lacking, a depend he mentioned was provisional.

Sea temperatures off northern France have been round 20 levels C, or about 68 F.

At least 30 migrants have died or gone lacking whereas attempting to cross to the U.Ok. this 12 months, based on the International Organization for Migration. That determine would not embody the newest deaths.

At least 2,109 migrants have tried to cross the English Channel on small boats up to now seven days, based on U.Ok. Home Office information up to date Tuesday. The information contains individuals discovered within the channel or on arrival.

Europe’s more and more strict asylum rule s, rising xenophobia and hostile remedy of migrants have been pushing them north.

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Associated Press author Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed.