A two-year-old boy was “trampled to death” as he and three adults lost their lives while attempting to cross the English Channel on Saturday, French authorities have said.
Jacques Billant, prefect of Pas-de-Calais region, said the French coastguard responded to a boat carrying almost 90 people which suffered engine failure.
Fifteen people were transferred to a tow vessel, including the boy, who was unconscious.
A medical team was sent by helicopter, but he was pronounced dead.
He was “trampled to death”, French interior minister Bruno Retailleau said on X.
He added: “The people smugglers have the blood of these people on their hands and our government will intensify the fight against these mafias who are getting rich by organising these crossings of death.”
Yvette Cooper, the UK home secretary, replied to Mr Retailleau on the social media site, saying it was “appalling” that more lives had been lost in the channel, “including a young child”.
“Criminal smuggler gangs” do not care “if people live or die”, she added.
Ms Cooper said she had been in touch with Mr Retailleau and wants to “increase cooperation and law enforcement”.
In a second incident, a boat with 83 people on board also suffered engine failure.
Three passengers were found unconscious at the bottom of the vessel, Mr Billant said. They were “probably crushed and suffocated”.
He explained: “Despite the intervention of the doctors, they were declared dead. They are two men and a woman, all three around 30 years old.
“Two new tragedies occurred at sea this morning. The toll is very heavy, since we deeply regret the death of four people: two men, a woman and a child.”
The two incidents on Saturday followed previous fatalities on 3 and 15 September, Mr Billant told reporters.
The total number of deaths so far this year is 51, he said. The figure for 2023 is reportedly as low as 12.
The migrants rescued on Saturday were from Eritrea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iran, Ethiopia, Libya, Syria, Egypt, Kuwait and Iraq, he added.
In the incident on 3 September, 12 people died when their boat sank.
Ten women and girls were onboard a small boat when the “bottom ripped open”, the mayor of Le Portel, Olivier Barbarin, said at the time.
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A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover on Saturday. Pic: PA
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Meanwhile, 395 migrants arrived in the UK on seven boats after crossing the Channel on Friday, according to UK authorities.
Some of those arriving were pictured wearing life jackets as they were brought to shore at Dover on a Border Force vessel.
Friday’s figures mean the UK has seen 25,639 migrant arrivals so far this year – making 2024 the deadliest year for those trying to reach Britain via small boats.
By 4 October last year, the number was 25,330.
This week, the UK and other G7 nations agreed an anti-smuggling action plan designed to boost co-operation.
