Migrants Defy Tragedy to Cross Channel Again

Just one day after 12 migrants perished when an inflatable boat disintegrated during an English Channel crossing, dozens more attempted the journey on a similarly fragile vessel. French patrol boats closely monitored this inflatable, laden with around 40 to 50 migrants, as it struggled through the waterway. The boat was spotted in Wimereux, where Mayor Jean-Luc Dubaële expressed frustration, stating, "The smugglers — a criminal network — continue with insistence to send people to their deaths in the channel." He urged for a collaborative effort with Britain to resolve the issue.

The inflatable boat filmed by Associated Press journalists took over two hours to traverse a short distance. Despite the grim circumstances, migration across the Channel persists. As of this year, 21,720 migrants have successfully crossed, a figure slightly higher than last year. The British government recently shifted its tactics, abandoning a controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda. Instead, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced measures to enhance the border force to combat the criminal gangs orchestrating these crossings. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)