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NGOs Caution, UK’s ‘Stop the Boats’ Policy May Heighten Risk of Fatal Dinghy Crashes
In a troubling development along the English Channel, human rights organizations are raising alarms about the unintended consequences of the UK's "stop the boats" policy. This stringent approach, designed to curb illegal Channel crossings, is paradoxically creating more hazardous conditions for refugees attempting the dangerous journey.
Reports from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) monitoring the situation reveal a disturbing trend: refugees are being crammed into boats on French beaches in unprecedented numbers. This overcrowding significantly heightens the risk of crushing and suffocation during the crossings.
The gravity of the situation is highlighted by recent tragedies. In less than a year, at least eight individuals, including a seven-year-old girl, have lost their lives due to suffocation on dinghies in the Channel. Last month alone saw seven deaths across four separate incidents, marking the highest fatality rate since the inception of small boat crossings.
Organizations such as Utopia 56, which supports displaced and homeless people in France, and Alarm Phone, a watchdog group monitoring distress calls in the Channel and Mediterranean, attribute this spike in fatal incidents to the UK's intensified efforts to deter crossings.
An Alarm Phone spokesperson provided sobering statistics: "We believe that at least 62 people have died at the UK border since March 2023, when the UK and France signed their latest deal to 'stop the boats.' Of those, 39 people died in sea crossing-related incidents, and eight of those were crushed to death in the dinghy."
The UK's strategy involves a substantial financial investment in French policing efforts. In March 2023, £478 million was allocated for 500 additional officers, a new detention center, and other measures designed to prevent people from embarking on Channel crossings. Concurrently, efforts to disrupt the supply chain of dinghies in countries like Germany and Turkey have led to a scarcity of available vessels.
These measures have had an unforeseen and dangerous effect. With fewer boats available and increased police presence, smugglers are hastily launching dinghies before they are fully inflated and cramming larger numbers of people into each vessel. This rush increases the likelihood of fatal crushing incidents.
The tragic death of seven-year-old Sara Alhashimi from Iraq on April 23 exemplifies the dire consequences of these overcrowded conditions. In that incident, five people were crushed to death in a boat reportedly carrying 112 individuals. Rights groups argue that unless the UK government introduces safe-passage policies, the death toll may continue to rise. The chaotic and overcrowded conditions on these dinghies, combined with language barriers among passengers, make it challenging to accurately account for all casualties.
In response to these concerns, a Home Office spokesperson stated: "We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk. The new government is taking steps to boost our border security, setting up a new border security command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas, to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit."
As the debate over immigration policy continues, the human cost of these dangerous crossings remains at the forefront. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether the UK government can find a balance between border security and the preservation of human life in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.