A boat carrying migrants across the English Channel has sunk on Friday, leaving several people injured and requiring hospital treatment. The incident happened near the coast of Kent, where a border force vessel and a lifeboat were deployed to rescue the passengers. Some of them were seen being carried off the lifeboat on stretchers in Dover.
The Home Office and the Coastguard have not yet commented on the number of people involved, their nationalities, or the cause of the sinking. The English Channel is a busy and dangerous waterway, where many migrants attempt to reach the UK from France and other European countries.
According to the BBC, more than 25,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats in 2021, a record number.
The UK government has been trying to reduce the number of crossings by working with France and other countries to prevent migrants from leaving their shores, as well as returning those who make it to the UK.
However, human rights groups and charities have criticised these policies, saying they put migrants at risk and violate their right to seek asylum. They have also called for more safe and legal routes for refugees to reach the UK.
The sinking of the migrant boat is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by those who flee their countries in search of safety and a better life.
It also raises questions about the UK’s response to the humanitarian crisis in the Channel and its obligations under international law.