Gunshots rang out at a French migrant camp just hours before a small boat travelling to Britain sank killing six people, according to witnesses.
Gunfire and clashes involving migrants broke out just hours before the vessel travelling from Dunkirk to Britain went under water, it’s bee reported.
A teenage boy from Afghanistan said that he heard gunshots at the Grande-Synthe camp near Dunkirk on Friday night – and said he thought the clashes were between Afghans and Kurds, he told The Times.
As well as the deaths of six of those who were onboard the boat, two people are also missing.
The 15-year-old, who has not been named, said that he also saw chaos in the camps after Afghans were turned away when they reached overcrowded dinghies on French beaches.
The boy said he managed to get on one of the boats with around 60 other people, revealing he lied to the people smugglers to say that he was Kurdish.
But later he said he was transferred to a rescue boat because the seas were so treacherous.
The ill-fated vessel is believed to have got into trouble at around 4am on Saturday morning due to severe adverse weather conditions around five miles off the French coast.
A rescue operation involving five French ships, one helicopter and two British ships was launched after the boat sank off the coast near Sangatte close to the Cap Gris Nez in northern France.
It’s understood a fishing vessel was also involved in the rescue.
Migrants were rushed to Dover where ambulances were waiting to take some to hospital for treatment for hypothermia.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said her “thoughts and prayers” were with those affected by the deaths in the Channel.
In a statement, she said: “My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the tragic loss of life in the Channel today.
“I have spoken with our Border Force teams this morning who have been supporting the French authorities in response to this incident.”
New Home Office figures revealed that more than 500 people crossed the Channel on Saturday alone, including ten who were brought to Dover on British lifeboats, reports The Daily Mail.
More than 1,600 people crossed within three days, bringing the total number of people who crossed this year to nearly 16,700.
A record number of people, 45,755, crossed the Channel in 2022, which is a 60 per cent rise from the year before.
Campaigners say the tragedy highlights the need for the UK to open safe passages for migrants to come to our shores.
Steve Smith, chief executive of refugee charity Care4Calais, spoke to the Daily Mail.
He said: “This terrible loss of life demonstrates yet again the need for a system of safe passage to the UK for refugees.
“This would enable them to apply for asylum while in France, and then to travel safely to the UK without risking their lives in small boats.
“It would put the people smugglers out of business overnight.”
