France consults neighboring countries over migrant drama in the Channel

France is organizing a meeting in Calais on Sunday with the European Commission and ministers from the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain and Belgium about the increasing flow of migrants across the Channel.

On Wednesday, 27 migrants drowned after their dinghy was believed to have collided with a large cargo ship. They had probably left Dunkirk on their inflatable boat to cross the Channel to the United Kingdom. There it was fatal.

The French Coast Guard launched a rescue after a fisherman reported seeing bodies floating in the Channel. As far as is known, two people have been rescued alive from the water, they are currently in intensive care and are being treated for hypothermia.

The victims also included a pregnant woman and three minors, whose exact ages are not yet known. It would concern seventeen men, seven women and three minors. According to the French Ministry of the Interior, Iraqis and Somalis were among the victims.

On Thursday, French authorities arrested a fifth suspect in the failed human smuggling operation. The suspect is said to have bought inflatable boats in Germany. The first four suspects were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of human smuggling, murder and participation in organized crime.

Both the United Kingdom and France are pointing at each other. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated the proposal to organize joint patrols, denouncing that he had "difficulty convincing certain partners", notably France.

France said on Thursday morning that neighboring countries are doing too little to prevent people smuggling. For example, the British must make the rules around undeclared work stricter to combat illegal migration.

Verlinden speaks of a 'drama' and wants to avoid its repetition in the future at all costs. “We will see how we can do everything we can to ensure that such situations do not happen again. We have to disrupt people smugglers as much as possible.'