Suspects arrested after migrants drown crossing English Channel

Aug 17, 2023 #BBCNews
Four people have been arrested and charged with manslaughter in France after a boat carrying migrants sank in the English Channel.

Six men drowned when the boat went down near Calais, as they attempted to reach the UK. More than 50 other people were rescued by French and British coastguards. Most of those on board are believed to have been from Afghanistan.

Rescue workers said it was the seventh time that week that they had pulled people from the water. At least two of those detained are reported to have links to human trafficking networks.

The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. More than 17,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel in small boats.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Tom Symonds