English Channel: Girl, 7, dies after boat capsizes near Dunkirk in France
A tragic incident occurred in northern France as a small boat attempting to cross the English Channel capsized, resulting in the death of a seven-year-old girl.
According to officials, the boat, which was carrying 16 migrants, sank just a few kilometers off the coast of Dunkirk. The local authority stated that the vessel was not adequately sized to accommodate such a large number of people.
The parents of the deceased girl, who were traveling with three other children, were rushed to a hospital in Dunkirk for treatment.
Police and firefighters were alerted to the capsized boat by a passerby, and authorities suspect that the vessel was likely stolen and insufficiently equipped for the number of passengers on board.
The Préfet du Nord, the local authority, reported that a couple with four children, including a pregnant mother, were among those on board. Tragically, their seven-year-old daughter drowned in the accident.
Although two men and six young children were hospitalized, their injuries were not life-threatening. Prosecutors in Dunkirk have detained several individuals in connection with the incident, as reported by the AFP news agency.
This unfortunate incident follows the deaths of three migrants on Wednesday, who also perished while attempting to cross the English Channel after encountering difficulties with their boat.
It was one of several incidents, with a total of 249 people rescued throughout the day.
Home Office figures show that more than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year.
