CANNES, France, May 21 – Two people died while a boat carrying some 80 migrants sailed off to reach Britain through the English Channel, the French Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea confirmed on Wednesday.
The French Maritime Rescue and Rescue Service, monitoring the boat, was notified that two people on board were unconscious and required assistance, the Prefecture said in a press release.
A French Navy vessel was involved in the rescue process, and the two unconscious passengers, along with 10 others, were retrieved from the boat.
However, when the medical team from Boulogne-sur-Mer arrived by helicopter, the two unconscious were confirmed dead, the Prefecture added.
“The remaining occupants of the boat continued their journey towards British waters under the surveillance of the Rhone (French Navy vessel),” the Prefecture added.
According to French news channel BFMTV, some 78 migrants lost their lives while trying to cross the Channel to reach Britain, an absolute record since the illegal crossing massively started in 2018.
XINHUA
