A new tragedy at sea: an infant loses his life during a perilous Channel crossing

On Thursday October 17, off the coast of Wissant (Pas-de-Calais), an overloaded migrant boat sank, resulting in the tragic death of an infant, as reported by the Préfecture Maritime de la Manche et de la Mer du Nord on Friday. The rescue operation, which mobilized teams to help those who had fallen overboard, saved 65 survivors. Unfortunately, a baby was found unconscious in the water and could not be resuscitated.

This tragedy follows a series of similar ones this year. In early October, four migrants, including a 2-year-old child, lost their lives trying to reach the English coast clandestinely.

The toll for 2024 is particularly grim, with at least 52 deaths during Channel crossings. These attempts remain extremely risky in this maritime zone, one of the busiest and most dangerous in the world.