French authorities have confirmed that a family of four Kurdish Iranians – Rasul Iran Nezhad, Shiva Mohammad Panah and their two young children – have died as they attempted to cross the English channel. They were among a group of 19 migrants whose boat capsized off the coast of France in a desperate bid to reach British shores.
Fifteen others are believed to have been taken to hospital in Dunkirk and Calais and another person, possibly a child, is still missing. French official, Hervé Tourmente said the journey was made especially perilous by the rough seas and stormy conditions.
The family had attempted to gain entry to the UK by train twice before but had failed on both occasions, eventually deciding to pay a smuggler thousands of euros to take them by sea.
2020 has seen a massive increase in the number of people arriving illegally in small boats, with more than 7,400 this year so far, up from at least 1,800 last year according to the British Press Association.
292 asylum seekers have died attempting to cross the English channel since 1999, according to a report conducted by the Institute of Race Relations. 2020 has been marked by two people already dead, one of which was only a few weeks before this most recent tragedy.
This latest loss of life has helped reinforce the demand for change that rights organisations and charities have been calling for, with Save the Children UK requesting that the English and French governments work together to:
“expand safe and legal routes for desperate families fleeing conflict, persecution, and poverty.”
This is a sentiment echoed by other human rights advocates, with Clare Moseley, the founder of refugee crisis charity Care4Calais saying the incident should serve as a “wake-up call” to those in power.
“We are grieving for the victims, we stand in sympathy and solidarity with their families and friends”, she said. “It is cruel and horrifying that, this time, young children are among the victims.”
Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said she was “truly saddened” to learn of the deaths and reaffirmed her dedication to target smugglers who traffic people.
In a statement released on Twitter, she said: “I am truly saddened to hear of the tragic loss of life in French waters this morning. My thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones at this time.”
“We are in touch with our French counterparts who are leading on the response and have offered any support they need as they investigate this incident…This tragic news highlights the dangers that come with crossing the channel and I will do everything I can to stop callous criminals exploiting vulnerable people.”
Boris Johnson reiterated the Home Secretary’s comments, stating:
“We have offered the French authorities every support as they investigate this terrible incident and will do all we can do to crack down on the ruthless criminal gangs who prey on vulnerable people”
However, the UK government has come under widespread criticism for its role in this incident, with many suggesting that the focus on deterrence, rather than the provision of safe and legal passage is a reason for the occurrence of this tragedy. The British immigration system has come under scrutiny and received condemnation for not reforming its approach and forcing desperate people to undertake perilous journeys.
Migrants are unable to launch an asylum application without being physically present and therefore resort to desperate tactics to reach the UK. Many asylum seekers want to come to the UK because they have family ties or can speak English rather than other European languages. Some migrants have spoken of the disinformation that they have been given by smugglers on life in Britain and the need to arrive before Brexit deadlines stop all chances of resettlement.