London ∙ Illegal immigration to Britain through the English Channel and the tragedies that occur in the process are a continuation of the story. Many people have drowned trying to cross to Britain in inflatable plastic boats. Four people lost their lives near Kent yesterday in a similar tragedy. The fishing boatmen who came to help in time saved 43 people. All of them would have lost their lives if the fishing boatmen had not arrived.
Even the most experienced can’t hold out for more than a few minutes once they hit the cold waters of the English Channel. Despite knowing this, there are hundreds of people who are trying to enter Britain with great hope. Refugees from Albania are trying to save their lives through the French border. Fishermen who rescued them say that there were even people wearing just a t-shirt in the extreme cold in the accident boat.
After receiving a message from the fishing boat asking for emergency help, the Coast Guard, Navy boat and Air Ambulance crew immediately reached the spot and coordinated the rescue operation.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that in 2022 alone, more than 40,000 people risked their lives and arrived in Britain on such boats through the English Channel. Last year, 28,526 people came in this way. 8,404 in 2020. These people are applying for refugee status as soon as they land. Thus the applications received till September 2022 are 72,000.
35 percent of the refugees arriving by sea are Albanians. 15 percent are Afghans. Most of the others are from countries like Iran, Iraq, Syria, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia.
Most of them will have the opportunity to stay in good hotels or rescue centers with all facilities until they get refugee status. This is what motivates many people to take all the risks and cross the sea. Refugees who are staying in the French port city of Calais pay human trafficking gangs to cross the sea in makeshift boats.