The inflatable dinghy carrying over 60 people got into trouble off the coast of northern France. One person drowned and another is critically ill, while several others could still be missing. One person has drowned after an inflatable dinghy carrying 66 migrants and refugees towards Britain ran into difficulty off France's northern coast, the French coastguard said Friday. Rescue teams reached the distressed boat at about 1 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) and found that one of its inflatable tubes had deflated. Two unconscious people were pulled from the sea. One was airlifted to the French port city of Calais, while the other could not be revived, the coastguard said in a statement. Boats and aircraft are still looking for remaining survivors around Griz Nez, near the port of Calais, the statement continued. The English Channel, which separates the United Kingdom and continental Europe, is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Migrant crossings in the English Channel  Tens of thousands of people a year have been making the dangerous crossing of the sea from France in small boats seeking to migrate to the UK. So far this year, more than 29,000 migrants have made the perilous crossing in small boats, according to Migration Watch UK, representing a fall of about one-third compared to 2022. The largest number of deaths in a single incident took place in November 2021 when at least 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank in the Channel. In August this year, six Afghans drowned after their small boat capsized. In late November, a migrant boat carrying 60 people sank and a man and woman drowned. French authorities say that boats are increasingly overloaded, with the average number of about 53 passengers nearly double the average of two years ago. The issue of small-boat migration has become a major political priority for the UK government and a bone of contention between London and Paris.

Hundreds of Pakistanis are believed to have been on the vessel that sank off the coast of Greece earlier this week, but just 12 have been accounted for. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared Monday a national day of mourning to remember the victims of the boat that capsized off the coast of Greece. Between 500 and 700 men, women and children from Syria, Egypt, the Palestinian territories and Pakistan are believed to have boarded the vessel when it capsized and sank. The sinking was one of the worst disasters of its kind this year on the Mediterranean Sea, with some 78 bodies recovered on the water, 104 rescued alive, and hundreds missing or feared dead. "Pakistan will observe June 19 as a day of mourning and the national flag shall fly on half-mast," Sharif said on Sunday, expressing his grief over the tragedy  Pakistan's Embassy in Athens said it had identified 12 of its nationals rescued by the coast guard. Although there was no official information on how many Pakistanis were onboard the vessel, local media reports suggested the number could be in the hundreds. The distressed boat had set off from Libya en route to Italy when it was spotted by the Greek Coast Guard. Questions have arisen about whether the Greek coast guard should have done more, as it was in contact and close to the vessel in its final hours Noraie-Kia, the head of migration policy for Europe at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, told DW that the reason why the ship was headed to Italy was "a result of Greece repeatedly committing illegal border violations and so-called pushbacks."  "What we have been witnessing for years is a policy of border securitization that indeed leads to more deadly shipwrecks," Noraie-Kia added.  Crackdown on human traffickers In response to the tragedy, the Pakistani government ordered a crackdown on human traffickers, who are believed to be luring people on perilous journeys to Europe via Libya and the Mediterranean. A special committee is expected to set up a legal framework and boost international coordination to prevent such incidents and punish traffickers, the prime minister's office said in a statement. Traffickers are said to make millions each year off young Pakistanis seeking to reach Europe, but hundreds of them either die or end up in prison midway through the journey. Meanwhile, officials said nine people had been detained in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where the majority of the victims originated, and one in Gujrat, a city known for its numerous migrant departures. "They are presently under investigation for their involvement in facilitating the entire process," said Chaudhary Shaukat, a local official from Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Greek coast guard captain defends himself In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Greek coast guard has been under fire for its role in the incident, accused of not doing enough to save the migrants, after one of its boats spotted the vessel in distress prior to its sinking. One coast guard captain, whose identity was not revealed, defended himself to Greek media. "We approached the vessel to check its condition and that of the passengers and again offered assistance," the Greek captain said, adding that when officials tied a rope to the bow of the ship, those on board shouted "No Help" and "Go Italy," the report stated. "Despite repeated appeals as to whether they needed help, they ignored us and untied the rope at around 11:57 p.m. (2057 GMT). They started the engine and headed west at low speed," the report added. According to conflicting reports, which could not be verified by AP and Reuters, people on board had reached out to activists to seek help, describing a situation of deep distress on the boat. Activists say the migrants made repeated pleas for help more than 15 hours before the vessel sank. International maritime law and coast guard experts have said that conditions on the vessel clearly showed it was at risk, and should have prompted an immediate rescue operation, regardless of what the boat's occupants may have said.

Dozens of people have drowned after a fishing boat carrying migrants capsized off the Greek coast. Another hundred have been rescued but many remain unaccounted for as a large-scale search and rescue operation continues. The death toll from a capsized fishing boat carrying migrants off the coast of southern Greece has risen to 79, the Greek coast guard has announced. A large-scale search and rescue operation was underway on Wednesday morning after the boat, which is believed to have been transporting up to 400 people from near the Libyan port of Tobruk to Italy, capsized during the night in strong winds some 75 kilometers (46 miles) southwest of Greece's southern Peloponnese region. So far, 104 people have been confirmed rescued and taken to the Greek town of Kalamata. They received dry clothes and medical attention in shelters set up by ambulance services and the United Nations Refugee Agency. Four people have been hospitalized with symptoms of hypothermia. Authorities initially put the death toll at 32, before increasing it to 59 and then higher still to 79. Fears remain that it could yet increase even more. How many people are still missing? The search, which involves six coast guard vessels, a navy frigate, a military transport plane, an air force helicopter, several private vessels and a drone from the European Union border protection agency, Frontex, is ongoing. A Greek Migration Ministry source told the AFP news agency that, according to the coastguard, there could have been "hundreds" of people on board the boat. "We fear there will be a very large number of missing persons," the official said. The International Organization for Migration estimated that "up to 400" people may have been on board, noting in a tweet: "We fear more lives were lost." Authorities said the vessel was first spotted in international waters early on Tuesday evening by an aircraft belonging to EU border agency Frontex and two nearby ships. The Greek coast guard said the people on board — none of whom were wearing life jackets and who did not immediately disclose their nationalities — had initially "refused any help." What's the bigger picture? Greece is one of the main routes into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. About 72,000 refugees and migrants have arrived so far this year in Europe's frontline countries Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta and Cyprus, according to United Nations data, with the majority landing in Italy. Mediterranean smugglers are increasingly taking larger boats into international waters off the Greek mainland to try to avoid local coast guard patrols. On Sunday, 90 migrants were rescued in the area after they made a distress call. And in a separate incident on Wednesday, a yacht with 81 migrants on board was towed to the south coast of the Greek island of Crete after authorities received a distress call. On the other side of the Mediterranean, Libyan authorities launched a crackdown earlier this month, with activists saying that several thousand migrants, including Egyptians, Syrians, Sudanese and Pakistanis, have been detained. Many Egyptians have reportedly been deported back to their home country through a land crossing point.

A sudden, violent storm overturned a boat carrying tourists in northern Italy. Footage from first responders showed chairs and wood floating in the area where the boat sank. Four people died on Italy's Lake Maggiore after their boat overturned and sank, firefighters confirmed on Monday. Emergency crews used helicopters and divers to search the area for victims and survivors before recovering the body of the final missing person. What do we know about the accident? The accident took place on Sunday at the popular lake in northern Italy located in the Lombardy region. Around 24 passengers and crew were on board the tourist boat when it was suddenly caught up in a storm, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The violent change in weather caused a whirlwind to appear, causing the 16-meter (52-foot) long boat to capsize, Lombardy region president Attilio Fontana said. The powerful winds caused the ship to quickly sink, taking at least one victim down with it, according to local reports. Footage posted by firefighters showed chairs, wood and other debris floating in the choppy waters where the boat sank. Three bodies were recovered on Sunday, while the fourth victim was found early Monday. The 20 survivors either managed to swim to shore or were rescued by nearby boats. Both Italian and foreign nationals were on board the vessel, but authorities have not yet commented on the identities or nationalities of the victims. Italy battered by extreme weather The storm system that caused the fatal accident also caused disruptions across the Lombardy region, causing delays at Milan's Malpensa Airport. Lake Maggiore is located on the southern side of the Alps and is the second largest lake in Italy. The deadly incident comes on the heels of devastating floods that hit Italy's Emilia-Romagna region earlier in May, killing at least 14 people and displacing tens of thousands.

As two migrant smuggling boats approached a California beach in heavy fog, one overturned in the surf, officials said. Illegal crossings from Mexico have soared under US President Joe Biden's administration. Eight people were killed when two migrant smuggling boats approached a San Diego beach and one capsized, authorities said Sunday. "We lost eight souls," lifeguard chief James Gartland told a press conference, adding that it was "one of the worst maritime smuggling tragedies that I can think of in California, certainly here in the city of San Diego." Crews were initially searching for an estimated seven additional missing people, but Gartland added that several migrants may have left the beach by the time the teams arrived on the scene. Reports of boats in trouble San Diego Fire-Rescue said in a statement that a search and recovery operation began late Saturday night when the department received calls about fishing boats in distress off the coast of the city's Black's Beach. The beach lies about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of downtown San Diego. A Spanish-speaking 911 caller said she had been on a fishing boat with eight people that had made it to shore, but that there was another boat with 8 to 10 people aboard that had overturned, the statement said. Emergency crews responded to the scene and found two overturned panga fishing boats and lifeless bodies spread over an area of about 400 yards (366 meters). Thick fog hampered the search for additional victims. A Coast Guard cutter combed the area early Sunday, and officials hoped to get helicopters in the air when the weather improves, Coast Guard Petty Officer Richard Brahm said. It was unclear if any arrests were made among the survivors, and the nationalities of the passengers were unknown. Small boats, surfboards used by smugglers Officials said pangas — small open boats with outboard engines used in smuggling operations — often come ashore there. There have also been incidents of migrants swimming or traveling by surfboard to cross into the United States, said Eric Lavergne, special operations supervisor with the US Border Patrol in San Diego. Lavergne said this was one of a few hundred migrant smuggling events recorded in his jurisdiction this fiscal year, which is on track with the rate in recent years. Illegal crossings have soared under President Joe Biden, with many migrants turning themselves in to Border Patrol agents and being released in the US to pursue their cases in immigration court. In May 2021, a packed boat used in a human smuggling operation capsized and broke apart along the rocky San Diego coast, killing three people and injuring more than two dozen others. Pandemic rule denied asylum  A rule introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic denies migrants a chance to seek asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of the virus. Mexico has agreed to take back its nationals, along with those from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. As a result, people of those four countries have been more likely to try to evade capture, knowing they are likely to be expelled. The US rule is scheduled to end on May 11.

The Indian Coast Guard apprehended a Pakistani boat attempting to venture into Indian waters with arms, ammunition and approximately 40kg of drugs worth Rs 300 crore.  The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) apprehended a Pakistani boat along the Gujarat coast that was attempting to venture into Indian waters with arms, ammunition and approximately 40kg of drugs worth Rs 300 crore. Ten people aboard the Pakistani boat have been arrested. The Indian Coast Guard received intelligence input from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat, based on which, during the intervening night of December 25 and 26, the ICG strategically deployed its fast patrol class of ship ICGS Arinjay to patrol the area close to the notional International Maritime Border Line (IMBL). During the early hours of Monday, the ICG observed a Pakistani fishing boat 'Al Soheli' moving suspiciously in Indian waters. When the Indian Coast Guard started questioning those aboard the Pakistani boat, the boat started evasive manoeuvring and did not stop even when the Indian Coast Guard fired warning shots. 'Arinjay', the ship of the Indian Coast Guard, intercepted the Pakistani boat. The Indian Coast Guards boarded the Pakistani boat and found the crew behaving in a suspicious manner. The ICG searched the boat and found arms, ammunition and approximately 40 kgs of narcotics worth Rs 300 crores. The officials seized the boat and arrested the crew, all of whom are being brought to the coastal town of Okha in Gujarat for further investigation. This is the seventh joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard and ATS, Gujarat in the last 18 months and first crackdown, wherein arms and ammunitions, along with drugs, were being smuggled into the country. During this period, a total 346kg of heroine worth Rs 1,930 crores have been seized and 44 Pakistani nationals and seven people from Iran have been arrested.

The deadly incident comes amid the largest migratory flight from Cuba since the "Mariel crisis" of 1980. The country is facing severe economic, political and energy challenges. Eighteen people were rescued Saturday from the waters of north Bahia Honda, in western Cuba, after a speedboat taking migrants to the US state of Florida collided with a a Cuban coast guard ship and flipped over, the Cuban Interior Ministry said. At least five people — a young girl, a man and three women — have died in the incident, according to Cuban officials. The incident took place when the Cuban Border Guard sought to question the migrants, according to a statement read on Cuban television. Cuban officials claim that the boat of migrants had arrived from the US instead and that it "violated Cuban territorial waters in a human trafficking operation." While further details of the incident were not released, the interior ministry laid the blame on US migration policy towards Cuba and the decadeslong embargo. In 1962, then-US President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order which put an embargo on all trade with Cuba. This embargo has lasted for over 60 years now and is the longest sanction regime in modern history.  Cuba facing multiple crises, spurring migration The deadly incident comes at a time when an economic, political and energy crises in Cuba have led to the biggest migratory flight from the Caribbean island country in 40 years. In 1980, over 125,000 Cubans had traveled to US by sea in just 6 months, in an exodus called the Mariel crisis. 

Death toll reached 41 and at least 38 others remained missing in the boat capsize in the Karatoya River near Auliya Ghat under Boda upazila in the district. In the rescue operation, 17 bodies have been recovered till filling of the report this afternoon since the morning today after a boat capsized in the Karatoya River on Sunday afternoon, Boda Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sujoy Kumar Roy said. Among the deceased, 22 are women, 11 children and eight men. Earlier, 24 bodies were recovered after a boat carrying over a hundred passengers beyond its capacity capsized in the river in northern Panchagarh district.   Passengers were going to Badeshwari temple on the occasion of the celebration of Mahalaya, the auspicious occasion heralding the advent of goddess Durga.   Deputy Commissioner (DC) Zahurul Islam said a five-member probe committee has been formed to look into the incident and the committee has been asked to submit its report by three working days. The bodies of those identified have been handed over to their relatives, the DC added. Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan, Thakurgaon-1 constituency lawmaker Ramesh Chandra Sen and Dinajpur-1 lawmaker Manoranjan Shil Gopal visited the scene. Source: BSS AH

The incident of boat capsize occurred on the river Karotoa at Boda upazila under Panchagarh district leaves at least 24 dead. More than 30 people are still missing in the accident. The accident occurred at Auliaghat area under Mareya union in the upazila on Sunday afternoon. According to the local inhabitants, the passengers of the boat were on their way to Bodeshwai temple to participate worship on the eve of Mahalaya puja. The boat was overloaded and when it reached on the middle of the river it sank. Some manage to save their lives by swimming but most of the passengers drowned. They were the inhabitants of Panchpeer, Boda, Mareya, Benghari and adjacent areas. Boda upazila health and family welfare officer Raziur Rahman Razu said, seven dead bodies were taken to the hospital. In this regard Deputy Commissioner of Panchagarh Jahurul Islam informed that 17 dead bodies are at the upazila health complex. Rescue operation is still going on. AH     

At least 27 migrants trying to reach England from France died on Wednesday when their boat sank off the northern French coast, the deadliest disaster since the Channel became a hub for clandestine crossings.   President Emmanuel Macron vowed France would not allow the Channel to become a "cemetery" and also spoke to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to agree on stepping up efforts to thwart the traffickers blamed for the surge in crossings.   "It is Europe's deepest values -- humanism, respect for the dignity of each person -- that are in mourning," Macron said.   The disaster caused the highest death toll since at least 2018 when migrants began using boats en masse to cross the Channel. It comes as tensions grow between London and Paris over the record numbers of people crossing.   Prosecutors opened a manslaughter probe after the boat sank off the northern port city of Calais. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said four suspected traffickers accused of being directly linked to the doomed crossing in a long inflatable boat had been arrested.   Darmanin told reporters in Calais that only two survivors had been found and both of their lives were in danger. He said five women and one little girl were among those who died, while Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart said a pregnant woman was also one of the victims.   The nationality of the migrants was not immediately clear. An initial toll said 31 migrants had died but the interior ministry later revised this down to 27.   Prime Minister Jean Castex will hold a crisis meeting early on Thursday, his office said.   - France-Britain tensions -   French officials said earlier three helicopters and three boats had searched the area, uncovering corpses and people unconscious in the water, after a fisherman sounded the alarm.   Johnson said he was "shocked, appalled and deeply saddened by the loss of life at sea", following a crisis meeting with senior officials.   But he also said Britain had faced "difficulties persuading some of our partners, particularly the French, to do things in a way that the situation deserves".   Britain has urged tougher action from France to stop migrants from making the voyage.   The issue has added to growing post-Brexit strains between Britain and France, with a row on fishing rights also still unresolved.   "The response must obviously also come from Britain," said Darmanin, calling for "a very tough coordinated international response".   In telephone talks, Johnson and Macron agreed on the "urgency of stepping up joint efforts to prevent these deadly crossings" and that "it is vital to keep all options on the table" to break the business model of the smuggling gangs, according to Downing Street.   - Winter warning -   One of the French lifeboat workers, Charles Devos, described seeing "a flat, deflated inflatable boat with the little air that remained helping it float" surrounded by bodies of the drowned.   Pierre Roques of the Auberge des Migrants NGO in Calais said the Channel risked becoming as deadly as the Mediterranean, which has seen a much higher toll from the migrants crossing.   "People are dying in the Channel, which is becoming a cemetery. And as England is right opposite, people will continue to cross," he said.   According to the French authorities, 31,500 people attempted to leave for Britain since the start of the year and 7,800 people have been rescued at sea, figures which doubled since August.   In Britain, Johnson's Conservative government is coming under intense pressure, including from its own supporters, to reduce the numbers.   Natalie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for the British Channel port of Dover, called the sinking "an absolute tragedy" and demonstrated the need to stop the crossings at their source.   "As winter is approaching, the seas will get rougher, the water colder, the risk of even more lives tragically being lost greater," she said.   Charlotte Kwantes of Utopia56, an association that works with migrants in Calais, said "more than 300" migrants had died since 1999 in the area.   "As long as safe passages are not put in place between England and France, or as long as these people cannot be regularised in France... there will be deaths at the border," she told AFP.   According to British authorities, more than 25,000 people have now arrived illegally so far this year, already triple the figure recorded in 2020. Source: AFP/BSS AH