Sarah's story: death of a 7-year-old seekingasylum in the UK | BBC News

A 7-year-old girl, Sarah, was among five people whodied in an overcrowded small boat in the EnglishChannel, as they tried to reach the UK.

The BBC has spoken to Sarah's father and piecedtogether what happened - and why the family wastaking such a great risk to reach England.

Sarah was born in Belgium and grew up in Sweden.She was one of three children of Ahmed, who had fledIraq in 2009 and spent years trying but failing to getpermission to settle in Europe.

Instead the family faced deportation to Iraq, so Ahmeddecided that the family would meet people smuggler'son a beach at night in France and make the seacrossing to England. It was a desperate move that ended in tragedy.

Sophie Raworth presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Andrew Harding.