700 Migrants Navigate Channel in Small Boats to Enter UK
New Delhi: The perilous journey across the English Channel has claimed two more lives, French authorities reported, bringing the total number of fatalities this year to 25. These tragic deaths underscore the risks faced by migrants attempting to reach Britain by sea. On Sunday alone,700 Migrants Navigate Channel to Enter UK in 11 small boats, according to provisional figures from the UK’s interior ministry. This latest surge pushes the total number of crossings in 2024 to 18,342, marking a 13% increase from the same period last year.
The issue of migrant crossings has been a focal point in British politics, particularly during the July general election. Newly elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer swiftly scrapped the controversial policy of deporting migrants to Rwanda, a cornerstone of the previous Conservative government’s immigration strategy. Instead, Starmer has vowed to crack down on the criminal gangs orchestrating these dangerous journeys, who profit thousands of euros from each migrant they ferry across the Channel.
The recent figures have emerged against a backdrop of rising anti-migrant sentiment in the UK, following a knife attack on July 29 that claimed the lives of three children. Though the incident was falsely linked to a Muslim immigrant on social media, it sparked widespread unrest. In response, thousands of anti-racism protesters rallied across the country last Saturday, condemning the violence directed at mosques and immigration-linked hotels.
In light of these challenges, Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have pledged to bolster cooperation in addressing the surge in undocumented migrants, seeking more effective solutions to this ongoing humanitarian crisis.
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