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Five people including a seven-year-old girl died in an attempt to cross the Channel from France to England in a crowded boat at around dawn on Tuesday.
The accident occurred off the coast near a beach at Wimereux. French officials said the boat was carrying 112 people when its motor stalled not far from the coast and some passengers fell into the water.
“A sudden crowd movement apparently occurred in the overloaded boat, causing several casualties,” said the Préfecture de Pas-de-Calais.
The incident is among the deadliest in the Channel this year, taking the death toll to 15 in total. The route is getting more deadly: 25 people have died in crossings since August 2023, according to Home Office figures, out of a total of 73 fatalities in the past seven years.
The deaths occurred hours after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak secured parliamentary approval after…