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Three die in Channel crossing attempt off French coast

A child and two women died after an overcrowded dinghy carrying 105 passengers encountered trouble near Calais.

The short version

  • A 10-year-old child and two women died Monday during an English Channel crossing attempt after their dinghy ran into trouble off the coast of Wissant.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • A French official stated the casualties and injuries were likely caused by crushing rather than drowning on the vessel carrying 105 people.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Rescue teams treated the victims on board before confirming their deaths, while around 100 surviving passengers were taken to the port of Calais.[The Guardian · BBC News]

Key facts

  • Three people, including a 10-year-old child and two women, died during an English Channel crossing attempt on Monday.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • The boat carried 105 people and ran into trouble after leaving Blériot Plage beach near Calais.[BBC News]
  • An emergency medical team flown in by helicopter confirmed the three deaths after treating passengers on board.[The Guardian · BBC News]
  • Roughly 100 surviving passengers were transported to the port of Calais.[BBC News]
  • At least 17 people have died attempting to reach the UK across the Channel this year.[The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • The exact mechanism of death remains preliminary, though Pas-de-Calais prefect François-Xavier Lauch indicated that the deaths were likely caused by crushing rather than drowning.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.