Channel deaths: Braverman urged to quit after migrants die in crossing tragedy
Home secretary ‘has vilified the very people she now feigns sympathy with’, says PCS
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Your support makes all the difference.A union has called for home secretary Suella Braverman to resign following the deaths of four migrants in the Channel as their boat sank.
Women and children are reportedly among survivors fighting for their lives in hospital after the dinghy capsized in the English Channel in freezing weather in the early hours. A search-and-rescue mission was launched and 43 other people on board were rescued.
Paul O’Connor, of the PCS union, said: “Suella Braverman says her heartfelt thoughts are with all those involved. Those words ring utterly hollow when she has spent her time as home secretary vilifying and demonising the very people she now feigns sympathy with. She should resign in disgrace.”
Ms Braverman told the Commons there would be new legislation to end criminal gangs, but shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said responses by ministers to people-smuggling and trafficking gangs had been too weak, calling for further action.
Roger Gale, MP for North Thanet in Kent, said: “Some of the survivors are still fighting for their lives [in hospital], and I understand that some of them are women and children.”
Read below for how our live coverage unfolded:
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Refugee charity ‘heartbroken’ at reports of deaths
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “We are devastated to hear news of the incident in the Channel today and heartbroken at the reports of fatalities.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected and we pay tribute to the rescue teams working on such a dreadful incident.
“Sadly, this is not the first time we are waking up to such devastating news of people having lost their lives on a harrowing journey to Britain in search of safety.
“It is just over a year since 32 lives were lost in a similar incident. Like those involved in this incident today, they had hopes and dreams for the future. They weren’t illegal. They were desperately seeking safety.
“We will be monitoring the situation carefully and in the meantime we thank all those people who have expressed their sympathy and solidarity with those affected by today’s horrendous incident.”
Home secretary to make statement later this morning
Suella Braverman is set to make a statement on the small boat incident that has led to the deaths of at least three people at 12.30 today.
BREAKING: Three migrants dead after small boat hits trouble in Channel
Three migrants dead after small boat hits trouble in Channel
Three migrants have died after their small boat started sinking into the freezing waters of the Channel in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
UK hit by freezing weather
The tragedy has taken place as the UK continues to be gripped with bitterly cold temperatures.
For the latest, follow our live blog on the freezing weather here:
Weather: Man dies in Thames during -3C as major incident declared in Shetland
Temperatures had dropped to -3C in London on the night
Ambulances arrive at Dover
Ambulances have arrived at the Port of Dover following the search and rescue mission.
Government ‘has blood on its hands’, refugee charity says
The founder of refugee charity Care4Calais, Clare Moseley, said: “There are no words to express our horror and grief at today’s tragedy. A full year on from 32 people losing their lives in the Channel, our government has done nothing to prevent further deaths and so has failed both the refugees who need our help and our country.“
She added: “It is unbearable to think that more families will now suffer the same pain.“Both then and now, these deaths are wholly unnecessary and preventable. By failing to act, our government has blood on their hands.”
Ms Moseley said: “We know it’s possible to give people safe passage – we do it for Ukrainian refugees. If other refugees were given safe passage across the Channel, people smugglers would be put out of business and refugees would be safe.
“There is no reason why any refugee should die trying to claim asylum in the UK and it is utterly shameful that our government refuses to act to make refugees safe now.”
Tracker captures cluster of vessels in English Channel
A tracker has shown where vessels - including a RNLI lifeboat - went in the English Channel amid the small boat incident. Watch here:
How many migrants are usually on board small boats crossing Channel?
The dinghies used to cross the English Channel have become larger on average in 2022, as the route has become increasingly organised and seen more crossings launched by smuggling groups.
An official from the Clandestine Channel Threat Command told a press conference last month that the average number of people in a boat was now 40, compared to 25 last year.
“We are putting that down to the fact we only see larger boats this year,” he added. “Last year we saw a mix which brought the average down, but now there are 40-50 on board.”
Footage of rescue mission
The first pictures have emerged of a small capsized boat that was carrying almost 50 migrants across the English Channel.
Watch on Independent TV here:
Video shows capsized boat carrying almost 50 people through the English Channel
The first pictures have emerged of a small capsized boat that was carrying almost 50 migrants across the English Channel on Wednesday, 14 December. At least three people have been confirmed to have died, according to government sources. Fourty-three people were rescued, with at least 30 pulled from the water, as emergency services from the UK and France conducted a major operation. Footage shows migrants in life jackets being rescued by an RNLI vessel. Click here to sign up to our newsletters.
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