Dunkirk, France. Three people died while attempting to cross the English Channel in a migrant “taxi-boat” near the French port of Dunkirk, the local administration responsible for the Channel and North Sea said on Thursday. The vessel encountered difficulties early on Thursday near Braek beach.
Crossing incident
The French administration said further details would be released later.
Channel migration routes
The English Channel is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, and strong currents have contributed to deaths among migrants attempting to travel from France to Britain. Human traffickers often overload dinghies, leaving them barely afloat.
Government response
Addressing attempted Channel crossings remains a priority for the French government and the government of new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who appointed Jo White as migration minister this month.
In April, Britain agreed to pay France up to £660 million to tackle illegal migrant crossings in the Channel, with part of the funding dependent on results.