French authorities were alerted that the vessel was in trouble in the early hours of Sunday and the woman was recovered and airlifted to hospital but later died…reports Asian Lite News
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) on Tuesday said its officers had arrested a man in connection with a small boat Channel crossing that led to the death Sunday of a woman in France.
The NCA said it had detained a 29-year-old Egyptian national in Manston, southern England, on Monday and questioned him on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration.
He was then bailed pending further enquiries.
The woman died trying to cross the Channel from France to Britain on an overcrowded boat.
French authorities were alerted that the vessel was in trouble in the early hours of Sunday and the woman was recovered and airlifted to hospital but later died.
The boat continued on its journey to the UK, and arrived into Dover carrying around 40 people.
“This tragedy demonstrates how dangerous these crossings are,” said NCA Branch Commander Mark Howes.
“Working with partners we remain determined to do all we can to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in organised immigration crime,” he added.
It was the seventh migrant death in the Channel since July 12 and the French maritime prefecture said there was a “new phenomenon” of would-be migrants dying from the crushed conditions in boats rather than from drowning.
The asylum applications of migrants entering the UK illegally from countries on its designated safe states list, including India, will be fast-tracked to deport them back speedily under new Labour government proposals.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said she has begun the work to move staff from the previous Conservative-led government’s now-abolished Rwanda scheme to a new Returns and Enforcement programme. In place of the policy of trying to fly out illegal migrants to the African country, the Home Office plans to increase the returns to the countries of origin, starting with an increase in raids on businesses employing illegal workers.
We are drawing up new plans for fast-track decisions and returns for safe countries, Cooper wrote in The Sun on Sunday’.
Most people in this country want to see a properly controlled and managed asylum system, where Britain does its bit to help those fleeing conflict and persecution, but where those who have no right to be in the country are swiftly removed, she said.
India was added to the UK’s Safe States list last November, which would speed up the process of returning Indians who travel from the country illegally, as Home Office figures show asylum seekers from India have a very low acceptance rate.