A bill aimed at curbing dangerous cross-border crossings by migrants making their way into Britain to deport refugees to Rwanda ,an African country was passed just hours before five individuals, including a child, died in an attempt to cross the English Channel from France.
One of the most popular shipping routes in the world was being crossed by an overcrowded tiny ship carrying about 110 people when the tragedies happened. The French coast guard proceeded to look for any remaining survivors.
Earlier today, an accident happened on a boat carrying too many people. Five people have died, namely a woman, three men, and a seven-year-old girl, said local prefect Jacques Billant, who spoke to the media.
Several individuals jumped into the ocean when the motor stopped a few hundred metres from the coast, according to Billant.He reported that 47 individuals had been scooped up by quickly arriving rescuers. While four were sent to the hospital, their lives were not in danger.
He added that “an additional 57 people stayed on board.” “They managed to start the engine and headed towards Britain, indicating that they did not want to be rescued.”
The boat set out from Wimereux, which is roughly twenty miles (32 km) southwest of Calais.
About 32 kilometres off the coast of France, off the coast of Dover in southern England, was spotted a British border force boat with approximately 20 migrants wearing life jackets. Where these migrants had left from remained unclear.
What is the Rwanda Migrant bill?
Hours after the British parliament implemented legislation allowing the government to deport asylum applicants to Rwanda instead of keeping them in Britain for processing, attempts were attempted to cross the Channel.
The government of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is determined to stop the migration influx and believes that the Rwanda plan would serve as a discouragement. Critics such as rights groups claim it is inhumane.
Following the most recent maritime migrant deaths, British Interior Minister James Cleverly declared, “These tragedies have to stop.”
Speaking upon the bill’s passage in parliament, Sunak stated that the priority at this point was starting flights to Rwanda. This week, the bill is anticipated to obtain Royal Assent, signifying its enactment into law.
He declared in a statement, “I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.”
In 2018, small boats transporting asylum seekers began to arrive on the English coast; many of them were escaping violence and poverty in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Over 6,000 immigrants have reached Britain so far this year, up nearly 25% from the same time last year. The worst event happened in November 2021 when a dinghy capsized close to Calais, killing 27 migrants.
Because the Channel is one of the busiest shipping channels in the world and the currents are strong, small vessels should exercise caution when passing.
In their attempt to reach British coastlines, the people smugglers usually overload the boats, leaving them barely afloat and vulnerable to being battered by the seas.
European judges halted the first deportation aircraft to Rwanda scheduled for June 2022. Then, the Supreme Court of Britain affirmed a decision declaring the programme illegal due to the possibility of migrants being returned to their home countries or other places where they would face persecution.
