British and French migrant associations warned Thursday against the dangers of crossing the English Channel in small boats after the disappearance of a woman who had fallen into the sea. If confirmed, the death of this woman would be the first among the migrants trying to reach England in this way.
A rescue operation, which also mobilized the French and Belgian authorities, was launched Friday off England after three people in a small boat fell into the water. Two migrants were rescued but one woman was not found. The searches were interrupted on Saturday.
Request for "safer routes"
"The border kills, silently" denounced the French association Calais Migrant Solidarity. "The increasingly violent border policies pushed her, like many others, to take a deadly path to reach a goal so close, and of access so simple for those born with the right passport" . Lisa Doyle, an official with the UK's Refugee Council, has called for "safer routes" for migrants.
The crossing of the Channel on small boats is made particularly dangerous by the density of the maritime traffic, the strong currents and the low temperature of the water. "Crossing the Channel in a small boat is very risky, criminal gangs that practice this method are ruthless and do not care about the loss of life," said the British Home Office in a statement.
Friday, 30 migrants attempting the crossing, including two in a kayak, had been intercepted by the British authorities and taken to the United Kingdom. The French authorities had rescued 11 migrants "in distress" after their boat had "returned" off Boulogne-sur-Mer (north).