At least three alleged people smugglers were in custody in France tonight following the death of a seven-year-old girl who was in a UK-bound migrant boat overcrowded with children.
The deceased – who has not been identified – died at around 6.30am on Sunday after she fell into the River Aa, at Watten, some 20 miles inland from Calais.
She was with her parents and four other adults who hoped to get 10 children aged between seven and 13 to the English Channel, and then across to the UK to claim asylum.
But the flimsy inflatable dinghy they were in collapsed within minutes, flinging everybody into the cold water, around an hour before sunrise.
None of those onboard the stolen vessel were wearing lifejackets, or had any kind of a lifesaving equipment with them.
Charlotte Huet, the Dunkirk Prosecutor, said the seven-year-old girl was pulled out of the water by emergency workers but died ‘as a result of cardiorespiratory arrest’.
She was travelling with her pregnant mother and her father, along with three brothers and sisters.
All were taken into care by social services, along with the six other children, while arrests were made within hours.
Ms Huet confirmed that at least three suspected people smugglers were handcuffed and taken away by gendarmes.
The prosecutor said a criminal enquiry had been opened for ‘manslaughter, unintentionally causing injuries, criminal conspiracy and aiding illegal immigration within an organised gang, while endangering others.’
She said that none of the identities of those connected with the case, nor their countries of origin, could yet be confirmed.
The 16 people on board the stricken boat had been hoping to avoid police patrols, so as to enter the English Channel close to the Belgium border.
‘It is a route that has been used by people smugglers before,’ said an investigating source. ‘On this occasion, the boat was overloaded and too flimsy to support those onboard, who included women and children.
‘There was chaos in the water after the boat collapsed, and it led to a seven-year-old girl losing her life.
‘Others were rescued, and taken to a sports hall in Watten, where they are being interviewed by police.’
The As river originates at the village of Bourthes and empties into the sea near Gravelines, close to Dunkirk.
It follows three migrants going missing in thick fog and heavy winds in the Channel on Wednesday after their UK-bound small boat capsized.
One was confirmed dead after his body was recovered, while two others are also thought to have drowned at sea.
Despite the poor conditions, people smugglers took advantage of a small break in even more severe weather to push out multiple migrant boats from French shores.
The latest fatality also follows five migrants dying while trying to get to Britain on January 14.
Some 29,000 people reached the UK in small boats in 2023, despite the British government saying that stopping them was a priority.
It is trying to push ahead with a plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, despite the London Supreme Court ruling that the policy is unlawful.
In August last year, six people died after a boat carrying migrants sank in the Channel off the French coast.
And in November 2021, at least 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while heading to the UK – the highest recorded number of deaths from a single incident.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
