A baby has drowned after a small boat carrying migrants capsized off the French coast overnight, authorities said on Friday.
A total of 65 people were rescued after the incident off the French town of Wissant, but a "baby was found unconscious and sadly declared dead", maritime authorities said. Those rescued were taken back to the port at Boulogne-sur-Mer. A French navy patrol boat and a helicopter were used in the rescue and recovery operation.
Authorities said searches were continuing on Friday to find any more missing people. An investigation has been launched by the public prosecutor’s office in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The baby, aged four months and possibly from Iraqi Kurdistan, was on board with his parents and two other children, prosecutors said.
The passengers "were mainly of Iranian, Iraqi, Albanian and Eritrean nationality", said Guirec Le Bras, the public prosecutor in Boulogne-sur-Mer. The boat "was tearing at the centre, with some passengers falling into the water, while others were holding on to the inflatable elements", he added.
In early September, 12 migrants, including six children, died while trying to cross the Channel. A month later, a two-year-old boy and three adults died after overloaded boats encountered trouble during two separate attempts.
The number of migrants arriving illegally in Britain has averaged 53 per boat this year, up from 13 in 2020, government figures show. The baby’s death is the 45th to be reported by the French coastguards since January.
A total of 27,509 people have arrived in the UK in small boats so far this year after crossing the Channel, according to Home Office figures – 5 per cent higher than the equivalent point last year. The number of arrivals is 26 per cent lower than the same point in 2022.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the incident was a "devastating and depressingly preventable tragedy in the Channel".
"People who make the crossing are fleeing war, conflict and persecution and simply want to be safe," he said, adding that the total number of deaths this year was greater than the previous three years combined.
“This procession of death and tragedy shows we need to rethink our approach. Lives will continue to be lost if we carry on as it is, he said. “The government should adopt a more multipronged strategy to tackle these life-threatening journeys."
He added that seeking to disrupt the smuggling gangs alone would never be enough and that the government must work with its European partners to provide safe and legal routes for refugees.
It was revealed this week that more than 62,000 migrants could be granted asylum in the UK under efforts to clear the backlog of cases. The number of asylum applications waiting to be determined is expected to have reached 118,063 by January, the Refugee Council said. As many as 62,800 of them could be recognised as refugees in the UK, the charity added.
Its calculation was based on the grant rates used in the 12 months leading up to the UK general election in July, with the Refugee Council applying that to asylum seekers of various nationalities to reach a "working assumption" of what the figure will be in January.
Studying addiction
This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.
Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.
The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
