(File photo)
Five migrants lost their lives due to the cold while attempting to travel illegally from northern France to the UK.
A sixth person is in critical condition, and over 30 individuals were rescued in what marks the first reported migrant deaths crossing the English Channel in 2024. In 2023, 12 migrants lost their lives during attempts to cross the Channel.
Approximately 30,000 migrants crossed from mainland Europe to the UK through the English Channel in small boats last year. The French Maritime Authority reported that a French ship conducted a rescue mission, discovering unconscious and lifeless individuals in the 9-degree Celsius water. Survivors were transported to a shelter in Calais.
While maritime officials mention the rescue of over 30 people, an anonymous source claims around 70 migrants, including families with young children, were brought in around 3 a.m.
