yacht capsize egypt

36 passengers rescued after speed boat capsizes in Egypt's Red Sea

Passengers included 26 polish tourists, eight crew members and two tour guides.

June 07, 2023

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Tourist on a boat that capsized in Egypt knew something was wrong when he woke up to fish swimming outside his window, report says

• A diving boat with 26 guests on board capsized off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt, last month.
• One passenger told The Telegraph he knew something was wrong when he woke up to fish outside his window.
• Everyone on the boat survived, but guests are planning to sue the boat's owners and tour company.

A tourist on a boat that sunk in Egypt last month said he knew something was wrong when he woke up to fish swimming outside his window, The Telegraph reported on Monday.

David Taylor, a 53-year-old architectural technician from Nottinghamshire, England, was among 26 guests on the Carlton Queen, a three-story boat that specializes in diving tours, that rapidly sunk off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt, on April 24.

Taylor, who was on board with his 21-year-old son, told the newspaper that he was sleeping in his cabin when he was suddenly thrown from his bunk bed.

"I knew something was wrong when I could see fish swimming outside my cabin room's window," Taylor told the Telegraph. "It was horrendous. When we realized we had capsized, we knew we were in trouble."

Taylor and his son started shouting for help, desperate for a way to get to the deck, he said. 

"When we realized we couldn't escape by the stairwell and no one had come to help us, it felt awful. I had lost the plot, I felt I couldn't protect my son and I started to panic" Taylor added.

Luckily, the father and son were found by Fernando Suarez Meilla, an experienced diver, who had gone to his own cabin to get his camera when the yacht started taking on water. 

Suarez Meilla told The Telegraph that he found them both in a state of panic, but that he remained calm and checked every cabin for other passengers before trying to find a way out.

"I didn't panic, I was just certain we needed to get out as soon as possible," he said.

The three men crawled through the hallway towards the emergency hatch but found that it was defective, Taylor said, prompting them to attempt to clamber out of the hold and onto the top deck instead. 

Related stories

But to get up there, Suarez Meilla had to give the father and son each a leg up, leaving himself with no means to get out.

"Fernando had helped us escape, and, this part still haunts me, he told us to leave and instructed us to go … It was so impossibly hard," Taylor said. 

Suarez Meilla ended up escaping through an open hatch at the bottom of the boat. He told The Telegraph: "I jumped back into the submerged part of the boat and swam 15 meters below the water's surface, managing to escape that way."

All the guests and the yacht's nine crew survived. It is still unclear why the boat, which had only been refurbished last year, capsized on a day with calm conditions. 

Several guests on the boat have since launched a  GoFundMe to pay for equipment lost at sea, as well as a potential lawsuit against the boat's owners and tour company.

The GoFundMe claims that the holidaymakers were "threatened, lied to, and pressured to make false statements to the authorities" by the boat's owners.

"During the event, we had to deal with a lack of safety equipment on board, live rafts with malfunctions, flares that did not ignite an untrained crew, and a captain that was amongst the first to leave the boat solely focused on safe his own life," the GoFundMe adds. 

In a statement to The Telegraph, the owner of the boat, tourism company, The Carlton Fleet, said the reports were "ill-founded." 

"Needless to say, the safe return of all those on board bears testament to the crew members' effective management of the situation, which spared the lives of all passengers," the statement said.

The Carlton Fleet did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

• Main content

At least 12 dead after migrant boat capsizes in English Channel, says French interior minister

Topic: Immigration

A police car parks over the shore in Wimereux in Calais in 2021.   ( AP: Michel Spingler )

At least 12 people have drowned and dozens more have been pulled from the water after a boat carrying asylum seekers between France and the UK capsized on Tuesday.

The incident is the most deadly involving asylum seekers in the stretch of water between France and England since November 2021.

What's next: 

The incident is likely to reignite a debate about immigration policy, which was seen as a key issue in the UK's July general election, won by the Labour Party.

At least 12 people have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the English Channel on its way to Britain, French interior minister Gérald Darmanin said on Tuesday in a post on X, adding that two other people were still missing.

Dozens of people plunged into the treacherous waters of the busy 33-kilometre channel, which separates England from France, when the boat began sinking, according to authorities.

"Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open," said Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel near the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where a first aid post was set up to treat victims. "It's a big drama."

A maritime rescue official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss details of the operation confirmed that at least 13 migrants were dead.

Etienne Baggio, a spokesman for the French maritime prefecture that oversees that stretch of sea, said "more than 10" people were dead but he didn't have an exact number. The prefecture said the boat got into difficulty off Gris-Nez point.

Both Baggio and the mayor said rescuers recovered 61 people from the waters.

Sea temperatures off northern France were around 20 degrees Celsius, or about 68 Fahrenheit.

At least 30 migrants have died or gone missing while trying to cross to the UK this year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

At least 2,109 migrants have tried to cross the English Channel on small boats in the past seven days, according to UK Home Office data updated on Tuesday. The data includes people found in the channel or on arrival.

Europe's increasingly strict asylum rules, growing xenophobia and hostile treatment of migrants have been pushing them north.

British interior minister Yvette Cooper called the death of the migrants a "horrifying and deeply tragic incident" and said the work to dismantle "dangerous and criminal smuggler gangs and to strengthen border security is ... vital and must proceed apace".

The English Channel is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes and currents are strong, making the crossing on small boats dangerous. In August, two people were found dead after a boat carrying migrants trying to make the journey ran into difficulties.

"Every political leader, on both sides of our Channel, needs to be asked how many lives will be lost before they end these avoidable tragedies?" Steve Smith, CEO of the Care4Calais NGO said.

"Their continued obsession, and investment, in security measures is not reducing crossings, it is simply pushing people to take ever increasing risks to do so."

35 people rescued after Red Sea boat capsizes

Thirty five people have been rescued, including 26 tourists of different nationalities, after their tourist boat sank during a cruise to a diving area, navigational sources in the Red Sea said.

Workers on another tourist boat in the Red Sea were able to save 35 people, including 26 tourists from different nationalities.

The rescue happened after their tourist boat sank in the northern Red Sea , during a cruise to one of the local diving areas, sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm.

The tourists were transferred to a  nearby marina.

The sunken boat had three floors, and was returning from a diving trip in the famous Abu Nauhas area in the northern Red Sea.

Authorities acted quickly and with efficiency and the reasons for the sinking are being investigated.

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• Friday, 06 September 2024

5 dead, 9 injured as Cairo Nile boat capsizes

El-sayed gamal el-din , tuesday 30 jul 2024.

Five people were killed and nine others, including Egyptian and Saudi nationals, injured as a boat tragically capsized in the Nile River in Cairo on Tuesday, as per local news reports.

The incident took place in a spot between Old Cairo and Qasr El-Nil in the capital.

Among the deceased are two eight-year-old girls, according to the reports. No further details were provided regarding the identities of the three other fatalities.

A Saudi family of eight – comprising a mother, her two children, and her sister with her four children – was among the injured.

The boat's driver also sustained severe injuries and is currently hospitalized.

A 15-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy, and a 65-year-old woman were reported missing, raising fears of a potential rise in the death toll.

The Public Prosecution has initiated investigation into the incident.

Initial investigations unveiled that the boat was operating with an expired license and capsized due to excess weight.

However, the precise cause of the incident was not immediately disclosed by officials.

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Brit survives after 137ft yacht capsizes on dream holiday in Egyptian 'Bermuda Triangle'

A group of 26 international tourists, including 16 Brits, were enjoying a dream diving trip in the Red Sea in Egypt before their boat suddenly capsized in a horrifying turn of events

• 07:57, 15 May 2023
• Updated 10:40, 15 May 2023

A British tourist has described how he and others survived a terrifying capsizing on holiday while on board a 137ft yacht in an area said to be known as Egypt's 'Bermuda Triangle'.

A group of 26 people from across the world were supposed to be enjoying their diving holiday on a trip to Egypt last month.

But instead of making brilliant memories they would never forget, their dream holiday turned into a “nightmare” when the ship they had been staying on dramatically capsized on Monday April 24.

Of the group, 16 were British tourists, and it was only thanks to quick-thinking from all and teamwork that everyone made it out alive.

But then, instead of being helped by the company responsible for the boat, they were left without their passports, and help, they claimed, as the company allegedly threatened and pressured them to make false statements to the authorities.

Harrowing footage shows the group on board the ship as it tilts and slips into the ocean.

You can hear curses and screams as some throw themselves off into the sea near Hurghada, in the Red Sea, close to the entrance of the Suez Canal.

Another vid shows the boat slipping into the sea in scenes reminiscent of the Titanic, leaving the group clinging on before debris can seen scattered across the waves.

Then afterwards, the group can be seen huddled together desperately on a life craft before being rescued and taken to safety.

David Taylor, 53, an architectural technician from Nottinghamshire, knew something was wrong when he woke up and could see fish swimming outside his cabin’s window - instead of an idyllic view of the sky.

Eyes-witnesses said the sea was calm and the sky blue when the 137ft-long Carlton Queen suddenly began taking on water.

Mr Taylor and his 21-year-old son Christian were caught below deck, only rescued by the heroics of another passenger who then became trapped down there himself.

Speaking to The Telegraph , Mr Taylor said: "We were shouting for help and heard crashing above us and had this deep-seated feeling of dread that something terrible was happening. When we realised we couldn’t escape by the stairwell and no one had come to help us, it felt awful. I had lost the plot, I felt I couldn’t protect my son and I started to panic.”

Meanwhile, his would-be saviour Fernando Suarez Meilla, had returned to his own cabin to charge his camera, just to find that as the ship began tilting, his cabin door was suddenly where the ceiling had been.

After climbing out into the corridor he found the father and son duo panicking, but was able to lead them to an emergency hatch.

As they went, they checked each cabin to make sure it was empty, but found the handle on the hatch was defective so had to find another way out.

Eventually Mr Suarez Meilla was able to give the father and son a leg up to escape, but in the process he was trapped below deck.

He told them to leave and go, but as they did Mr Taylor hit his head on a metal tank, leaving blood gushing from the wound in his forehead.

Together, the father and son jumped into the water and floated until a life raft hauled them out.

Mr Suarez Meilla found every other escape route he tried “impossible” until he dived back through the remnants of the sinking ship, and swam out the bottom.

Toby Meadows, a 48-year-old fashion consultant from north London, was on deck when the boat began sinking, and, along with his brother, was lucky enough to be able to grab the rails as it began to tilt.

Others weren’t so fortunate and were tossed across the boat, and overboard into the sea.

The divers are now fundraising to replace all of their lost belongings and to start legal proceedings against the company who they claimed tried to pressure them into making false statements to authorities.

On a GoFundMe page , they said: “Some very very basic help was offered, but soon followed lie upon lie.

“The company made a lot of noise about wanting to help, but in the end it was all of us who did all the work to get the necessary paperwork to be able to travel back home.

“Unfortunately, our nightmare didn’t stop there. In the days that followed we were left alone with the predicament we were in.

“By the representative of the company that organized the trip we were threatened, lied to and pressured to make false statements to the authorities - which we of course did not do.

"Instead of sending doctors they send lawyers, instead of providing help, they tried to spread fear among us and instead of taking responsibility for what had happened, they did not even show up to a meeting in which they initially told us to provide a compensation offer.”

The Carlton Fleet, the company responsible for the trip, initially posted a statement on Facebook where they claimed their office “reacted quickly” and that they were helping them all with applications for new passports.

One of the Brits on board branded this a “false statement” and the company’s Facebook has seemingly been put onto private since.

The Mirror has approached the company for comment.

Click here to visit the group's fundraiser.

MORE ON Boats Egypt

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At Least 13 Dead After Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Northern France

(PARIS) — A boat carrying migrants ripped apart in the English Channel as they attempted to reach Britain from northern France on Tuesday, plunging dozens into the treacherous waterway and leaving 13 dead, officials said.

“Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open,” said Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel near the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where a first aid post was set up to treat victims. “It’s a big drama.”

He said 13 migrants were killed, a toll confirmed by a maritime rescue official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the operation.

“If people don't know how to swim in the agitated waters ... it can go very quickly,” the mayor said.

Lt. Etienne Baggio, a spokesman for the French maritime prefecture that oversees that stretch of sea, said “more than 10” people were dead after the boat broke up but he didn’t have an exact number.

The officials said rescuers recovered 61 people from the waters. The prefecture said the boat got into difficulty off Gris-Nez point between Boulogne-sur-Mer and the port of Calais further north.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said he was heading to the scene of what he described as the “terrible shipwreck.” He said 12 people died and two were missing, a count he said was provisional.

Sea temperatures off northern France were around 20 degrees C, or about 68 F.

At least 30 migrants have died or gone missing while trying to cross to the U.K. this year, according to the International Organization for Migration. That figure doesn't include the latest deaths.

At least 2,109 migrants have tried to cross the English Channel on small boats in the past seven days, according to U.K. Home Office data updated Tuesday. The data includes people found in the channel or on arrival.

Europe’s increasingly strict asylum rule s, growing xenophobia and hostile treatment of migrants have been pushing them north.

Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed.

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A Boat Carrying Europe-Bound Migrants Capsizes off Libyan Coast, Leaving 1 Dead and 22 Missing

Libyan authorities say a boat carrying Europe-bound migrants has capsized off the Libyan coast, leaving one person dead and 22 missing

CAIRO (AP) — A boat carrying migrants capsized off the Libyan coast Tuesday, leaving one person dead and 22 missing, Libyan authorities said, the latest sea tragedy involving migrants seeking a better life in Europe.

The coast guard in the eastern Libyan town of Tobruk said the boat was carrying 32 migrants and that nine have been rescued. Survivors have been taken to a port in Tobruk, the coast guard said.

The boat sailed from the Bab al-Zaitoun area, 15 kilometers (9 miles) east of Tobruk, according to the Abreen, a local aid group. The boat capsized after its engine suffered a mechanical failure, said the group, which supports migrants in eastern Libya.

The group said the migrants on the boat were from Egypt and Syria, and that the nine survivors were taken to a hospital.

In recent years, the North African nation has emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. In December, at least 61 migrants, including women and children, drowned off the town of Zuwara on Libya’s western coast.

Libya was plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

Human traffickers have benefited from the disorder, smuggling migrants across Libya's extensive borders, which it shares with six nations. The migrants are crowded onto ill-equipped vessels, including rubber boats, and set off on risky sea voyages.

According to the missing migrants project run by the International Organization for Migration, at least 434 migrants were reported dead and 611 missing off Libya in the past eight months. More than 14,100 migrants were intercepted and returned to the chaos-stricken country.

Last year, the IOM reported 962 migrants dead and 1,563 missing off Libya. Around 17,200 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya in 2023, it said.

Those who are intercepted and returned to Libya are held in government-run detention centers rife with abuses , including forced labor, beatings, rapes and torture — practices that amount to crimes against humanity , according to U.N.-commissioned investigators.

The abuse often accompanies attempts to extort money from the families of the imprisoned migrants before allowing them to leave Libya on traffickers’ boats to Europe.

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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At least 21 people missing after boat capsizes off Italian island

At least seven people rescued about 10 nautical miles (18.5km) southwest of Lampedusa after boat capsized in rough weather.

Seven people have been rescued and 21 others remain missing at sea after the boat they were travelling in capsized off the island of Lampedusa , the Italian coast guard has said.

The survivors, all Syrian nationals, were picked up from a semi-sunken boat about 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometres) southwest of Lampedusa, a statement said on Wednesday.

Chiara Cardoletti, head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Italy, wrote on X that the survivors were in “critical” condition and had lost relatives at sea.

The survivors told rescuers they had set off on Sunday from Libya, and that 21 of the 28 people they had aboard, including three children, had fallen into the sea during rough weather.

The boat “capsized repeatedly, leaving people clinging to the side of the boat as their family members drowned around them,” Nicola Dell’Arciprete, country coordinator for Italy for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said in a statement.

The Italian office of the UN refugee agency told the Reuters news agency that Sudanese people were also on the boat, which is believed to have departed from the port of Sabratha, west of Tripoli.

The coast guard said it had taken the survivors to Lampedusa and had deployed naval and air units to look for the missing people.

The central Mediterranean is among the world’s deadliest migration routes.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 2,500 migrants died or went missing attempting the crossing last year, and 1,047 this year, as of Tuesday.

The most recent figures from the Italian Ministry of the Interior recorded that more than 43,000 migrants had reached Italy so far in 2024, well down from previous years.

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Six children and pregnant woman among 12 dead in deadliest migrant boat tragedy this year

Bottom of boat ‘ripped open’, plunging more than 60 people into waters off france, article bookmarked.

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Six children and a pregnant woman were among at least 12 migrants who died on Tuesday when their boat was “ripped open” during the deadliest attempted Channel crossing this year.

More than 53 survivors were plucked from waters off Gris-Nez point, between Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer, during a major air and sea rescue operation.

A nearby rescue vessel was joined by two fishing boats, a French Navy vessel and local lifeboats.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper described the incident as “horrifying and deeply tragic”, saying that French services “undoubtedly saved many lives, but sadly could not save everyone”.

Before the latest tragedy at least 30 people have died or gone missing while trying to cross to Britain this year, according to the International Organisation for Migration – up from 24 in 2023. More than 2,100 people have arrived in Britain on small boats over the past seven days, according to official UK figures, taking the provisional total this year to 21,403.

Almost 70 migrants were crammed into a vessel only 23 feet (seven metres) long when it got into difficulty in open waters.

“Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open,” said Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, where a first aid post was set up to treat victims. “If people don’t know how to swim in the agitated waters ... it can go very quickly.”

Border security and asylum minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “It is a worrying trend that boats are being filled with many more people than we have seen in past times. And also the quality of boats is deteriorating, so these crossings are getting more and more dangerous as time goes on.

Related: ‘I will never forgive myself’: Father recalls heartbreaking moment daughter died on small boat

“They’re always dangerous, this is a very, very busy shipping lane, but the danger and the risk seem to be rising and today’s tragic incident is a representation of that.”

Of those who died on Tuesday, half were children, Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor Guirec Le Bras told reporters. He added that 10 of them were female and two were male, with most of the migrants coming from Eritrea. A pregnant woman was also among the dead, the Boulogne-sur-Mer mayor Frédéric Cuvillier told the BBC at the scene.

Labour has vowed to “smash” the people-smuggling gangs behind the crossings, in part through increased cooperation with other European nations.

Ms Cooper moved to establish a new Border Security Command in her first days in office, while last week, Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron pledged to work together more closely to dismantle migrant smuggling routes.

Labour also scrapped the Conservative government’s “small boats” scheme – designed to send those who arrive in the UK on the vessels to Rwanda – within days of coming to office.

Ministers denounced the policy as a “gimmick” that had failed in its central aim – to deter the journeys.

But former home secretary James Cleverly called for the Rwanda plan to be reinstated in the wake of the deaths.

“This is tragic and it cannot continue,” he tweeted. “It is not enough to talk about smashing the gangs when the real-life consequences are so serious. Labour must re-establish the deterrent that the NCA said we need to stop vulnerable people being exploited and secure our border.”

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said there had been a “shockingly high” number of deaths in the Channel this year and the “devastating trend shows the urgent need for a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to reduce dangerous crossings”.

“Enforcement alone is not the solution,” he added, calling on ministers to open up more safe and legal routes for asylum seekers.

The British Red Cross said: “Nobody risks their life travelling across the Channel in a small boat unless they feel they have no other choice.”

Steve Smith, CEO of refugee charity Care4Calais, said: “One life lost in the Channel is too much, but this year these tragedies have occurred with much more frequency and that is a deeply worrying trend that needs to be stopped.”

He added: “Every political leader, on both sides of our Channel, needs to be asked how many lives will be lost before they end these avoidable tragedies. Their continued obsession, and investment, in security measures is not reducing crossings, it is simply pushing people to take ever-increasing risks to do so.”

Nadine Tunasi, of the charity Freedom From Torture, said: “I know from the survivors I work with that no one gets into an overcrowded and unseaworthy dingy to cross one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes without a desperate need to find safety.

“Too much time has been wasted on gimmicks and hateful politics, while conflict continues to push people to take dangerous routes to sanctuary.”

French interior minister Gerald Darmanin went to Boulogne-sur-Mer to meet rescuers at the scene.

“We absolutely must – and this is a very important point – re-establish special relations with our British friends,” he said, calling for harmonised immigration legislation between Britain and France.

Additional reporting by AP

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Migrant boat capsizes off Libya: 1 dead, 22 missing

African migrants

A boat carrying migrants capsized off the Libyan coast Tuesday, leaving one person dead and 22 missing, Libyan authorities said, the latest sea tragedy involving migrants seeking a better life in Europe.

The coast guard in the eastern Libyan town of Tobruk said the boat was carrying 32 migrants and that nine had been rescued. Survivors have been taken to a port in Tobruk, the coast guard said.

The boat sailed from the Bab al-Zaitoun area, 15 kilometers (9 miles) east of Tobruk, according to the Abreen, a local aid group. The boat capsized after its engine suffered a mechanical failure, said the group, which supports migrants in eastern Libya.

The group said the migrants on the boat were from Egypt and Syria, and that the nine survivors were taken to a hospital.

In recent years, the North African nation has emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. In December, at least 61 migrants, including women and children, drowned in the town of Zuwara on Libya’s western coast.

Libya was plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

Human traffickers have benefited from the disorder, smuggling migrants across Libya's extensive borders, which it shares with six nations. The migrants are crowded onto ill-equipped vessels, including rubber boats, and set off on risky sea voyages.

According to the missing migrants project run by the International Organization for Migration, at least 434 migrants were reported dead and 611 missing off Libya in the past eight months. More than 14,100 migrants were intercepted and returned to the chaos-stricken country.

Last year, the IOM reported 962 migrants dead and 1,563 missing off Libya. Around 17,200 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya in 2023, it said.

Those who are intercepted and returned to Libya are held in government-run detention centres rife with abuses, including forced labour, beatings, rapes and torture — practices that amount to crimes against humanity, according to U.N.-commissioned investigators.

The abuse often accompanies attempts to extort money from the families of the imprisoned migrants before allowing them to leave Libya on traffickers’ boats to Europe.

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Pregnant woman among 12 who drowned after overcrowded migrant boat capsizes

By Anahita Hossein-Pour, Flora Thompson and Ian Jones, PA

A pregnant woman and six children were among 12 people who died after their boat sank trying to cross the English Channel.

The French coastguard confirmed the deaths after up to 65 people were rescued off the coast of Cap Gris-Nez on Tuesday.

The local prosecutor’s office said 10 females and two males were killed in the incident, according to the BBC.

French interior minister Gerald Darmanin wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that dozens of people had been crammed in a boat less than seven metres long.

“I came to Boulogne-sur-Mer to meet and thank the emergency services, the police and the sailors who were able to save 51 people from drowning by intervening very quickly and very courageously,” he said.

Mr Darmanin described it as a “terrible shipwreck”, adding: “The provisional toll stands at 12 dead, two missing and several injured.

Je suis venu à Boulogne-sur-Mer rencontrer et remercier les secours, les forces de l’ordre et les marins qui ont pu sauver 51 personnes de la noyade en intervenant très vite et très courageusement. Une « embarcation » de moins de 7 mètres de long où 70 personnes se sont… — Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) September 3, 2024

“All government services are mobilised to find the missing and take care of the victims.”

UK home secretary Yvette Cooper branded the incident “horrifying and deeply tragic” as she said “vital” efforts to dismantle “dangerous and criminal smuggler gangs” and to boost border security “must proceed apace”.

Mr Darmanin said most of the people on the boat were believed to have been from Eritrea, and most of the victims were women.

Speaking to reporters at Boulogne-sur-Mer, where the casualties are being treated, he said as many as 75 people can be put on boats ahead of a crossing attempt.

“These boats go down very, very quickly, this is the reason why a lot of people get killed on these journeys,” he said, according to a BBC News translation.

Olivier Barbarin, the mayor of Le Portel near Boulogne-sur-Mer, said that the bottom of the boat “ripped open”.

All of the people on board the dinghy ended up in the water, many of whom were not wearing life jackets, and several of the migrants needed emergency medical care, according to the French coastguard.

Ms Cooper said she was in touch with Mr Darmanin and was being kept updated on the situation, adding: “Our hearts go out to the loved ones of all those who have lost their lives, and all those who have been seriously injured.”

The latest casualties mean more than 30 people have died in Channel crossings so far this year.

Before Tuesday, the French coastguard had recorded at least 19 Channel crossing deaths in 2024, including nine since the start of July. Last year, 12 migrants were thought to have died or were recorded as missing.

The International Organisation for Migration, which records Channel crossing deaths as part of its Missing Migrant Project, estimates 226 people including 35 children are missing or have died after attempting the crossing as of January this year.

Ministers have raised fears about people smugglers cramming more and more migrants onto increasingly poor boats to risk the crossing.

Last month in its annual assessment of crime threats to Britain, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said the dangerous journeys were a “persistent and high-volume threat” and the number of people attempting the crossing – coupled with people-smuggler tactics which see migrants “wading out to boats or transferring from taxi boats” – had “increased the likelihood of fatalities”.

Charities and campaigners reiterated calls for urgent changes to curb Channel crossings as they lamented the latest loss of life at sea.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the number of deaths in the Channel this year had been “shockingly high” and the “devastating trend shows the urgent need for a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to reduce dangerous crossings”.

“Enforcement alone is not the solution,” he added, as he called on the Government to open up more safe and legal routes for asylum seekers.

Terrible naufrage dans le Pas-de-Calais, au large de Wimereux. Le bilan provisoire s’élève à 12 personnes décédées, 2 disparus et plusieurs blessés. Tous les services de l’État sont mobilisés pour retrouver les disparus et prendre en charge les victimes. Je me rends auprès des… — Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) September 3, 2024

Anna Kettley, deputy executive director of the UK Committee for Unicef, said: “We are deeply saddened to learn that children were amongst those that lost their lives in the Channel today.

“Every child, no matter where they are from, deserves safety, protection and a chance for a better future.

“We urge the UK Government to put the protection of children at the heart of their policies and to ensure there are safe and legal routes to enter the UK.”

The incident comes as more migrants arrived in the UK after making the journey and the number of Channel crossings reached the highest seven-day total for the year so far.

Pictures showed men, women and children being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, by lifeboats and Border Force on Tuesday.

British Home Office figures show 351 people made the journey in six boats on Monday, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date 21,403.

This is 2 per cent higher than this time last year (20,973) and 16 per cent lower than at the same point in 2022 (25,387), according to PA news agency analysis of government data.

The latest figures also mean 2,109 migrants arrived between August 27th and September 2nd – the highest number recorded for any seven-day period so far in 2024.

The previous highest number of arrivals in a seven-day period this year was 1,758, which occurred as recently as August 26th to September 1st, PA analysis shows.

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• English Channel ,
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12 dead after migrant boat in English Channel capsizes

A boat carrying dozens of migrants capsized in the English Channel off the coast of northern France. At least two people are missing.

At least 12 people are dead after a boat carrying dozens of migrants capsized in the English Channel off the coast of northern France, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said Tuesday.

Darmanin said that at least two people were missing and that several others were injured after the boat capsized off the coast of Wimereux, in the Pas-de-Calais region.

Darmanin is expected to travel to the site, near the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer, late Tuesday.

About 70 people were on board the boat, Boulogne-sur-Mer Mayor Frédéric Cuvillier said as emergency services responded to the incident. It was the latest in a string of ill-fated crossing attempts in the Channel, which has long been a point of tension between British and French officials grappling with illegal migration.

Nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, Vietnam, Turkey and Syria made up more than half of those crossing the English Channel in small boats in the 12-month period ending in June 2024, according to Britain’s Home Office. Human rights groups say that many of those who attempt the crossing are seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.

Britain’s Refugee Council, a charity that works with refugees, said it was “heartbroken” in a statement published Tuesday . It stressed an “urgent need for a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to reduce dangerous Channel crossings.”

The council said that “heightened security and policing measures on the French coast” have led to “increasingly perilous crossings, launching from more dangerous locations and in flimsy, overcrowded vessels.” The charity called on the British government to take action against criminal gangs and deploy a plan to improve and expand safe routes for those seeking refuge.

About 29,000 people were detected crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2023, down from almost 46,000 in 2022, according to the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, which cited figures from the Home Office.

Wanda Wyporska, chief executive of the charity Safe Passage International, said on X that “without safe alternatives to reach protection in the UK, people fleeing war and persecution will continue to make dangerous journeys at the hands of smugglers as they have no other choice.”

Wyporska urged the government to make opening new safe routes a priority. “Far too many children, women and men have already lost their lives this year in terrifying ways across the Channel. Every one of them was preventable,” Safe Passage wrote.

British and French authorities have long grappled with how to tackle smuggling networks and illegal migration along the waterway. The French consider the crisis a shared European problem, as some of the migrants enter France from neighboring countries, The Washington Post reported in 2021.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who came to power in July, has vowed to clamp down on the people-smuggling gangs responsible for the crossings.

Last month, the Home Office said Britain’s new Labour Party government was working to boost border security and to target criminals who are making millions in profit.

Steve Smith, CEO of refugee charity Care4Calais, condemned what he said was the “continued obsession” of officials with bolstering security measures along the Channel. Investing in such measures is not reducing the number of crossings but forcing people “to take ever-increasing risks,” he said.

“Every political leader, on both sides of our Channel, needs to be asked how many lives will be lost before they end these avoidable tragedies,” Smith said.

• Boating Techniques
• Common Causes Of Capsizing And How To Avoid Them

Common Causes of Capsizing and How to Avoid Them

Capsizing is one of the scariest things that can happen when you’re on a boat. It brings serious safety risks, including injuries and even fatalities. Plus, it can cause major damage to your boat and its contents.

This article aims to shed light on why boats capsize and offer practical tips to prevent such incidents.

Understanding Capsizing

Capsizing is a serious and dangerous event , but knowing why it happens can help prevent it.

A boat flips over when its centre of gravity moves too far from the base, making it unstable. This shift might be caused by waves or wind pushing against the boat.

It could also happen because of how things are loaded inside or due to people moving around on board. Capsizing comes in two main forms:

• Broaching: A wave slams into the side of a boat, causing it to tip over.
• Pitchpoling: The boat flips end over end when strong waves crash into its bow.

Different types of capsizing happen for different reasons. Knowing what causes them and how to prevent them can help boaters stay ready and better handle risks, making boating safer overall.

Weather Conditions

Weather is a big deal when it comes to boating safety. It's often the main reason boats capsize. Sudden weather changes can make things dangerous quickly, even for seasoned boaters. Knowing how different weather elements affect boating makes all the difference in staying safe out there on the water.

Strong winds can shove a boat sideways, making it tip over. Sailboats are especially at risk since the wind fills their sails and tilts them to one side. If gusts get too strong, they can make the boat heel too much and even flip it over completely.

Prevention Tips

• Reef the sails early to avoid getting caught by strong winds.
• Always keep an eye on weather forecasts and wind advisories. They can change quickly out there.
• If high winds do hit, for power boats, it's best to steer into the wind as much as possible – this helps reduce side impact and keeps things more stable. For sailing boats, be ready to let the power out of the sails when strong gusts come.

Large Waves

Waves can be a real danger to keeping things steady, especially when they slam into the boat from the side. The risk goes up if those waves are big enough to flood the deck or make it roll too much. In such cases, even experienced sailors need to stay alert and take quick action.

• When out on the water, it's smart to tackle waves at a slight angle. This helps cut down the risk of getting swamped by them.
• Steer clear of spots known for big wave action during rough weather conditions. It's just not worth it.
• Always check weather reports before heading out and plan trips accordingly. If high waves are in the forecast, find another route or reschedule that boating adventure altogether!

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are no joke. They whip up a nasty combo of wind, rain, and waves. If they hit suddenly, boats can get thrown off balance fast. This makes it hard for them to steer and increases the chances of flipping over.

• Keep an eye on the weather radar and steer clear of boating if thunderstorms are in the forecast.
• Always have a quick escape plan to reach a safe harbour when a storm is coming.
• Make sure the boat has a lightning protection system installed for safety against strikes.

Fog and Reduced Visibility

Fog can hide dangers and make it tough to navigate. This raises the chances of collisions or even capsizing. With visibility so low, spotting changes in water conditions becomes difficult.

• Rely on radar and GPS to steer safely when visibility is poor.
• Blast fog signals so other boats know there's someone nearby.
• Slow down and keep a sharp lookout for obstacles and other vessels.

Knowing how weather affects boating can really cut down the chances of capsizing. It makes trips on the water much safer. Always put safety first by keeping up with weather updates and being ready for any changes.

Improper Loading

Improper loading is a major reason boats capsize, and it really messes with their stability. Making sure the boat is loaded correctly, every single time, is crucial for having a safe and enjoyable outing on the water.

Overloading

Going over the manufacturer’s weight limit can seriously lower a boat's freeboard, making it much more likely to take on water and capsize unexpectedly.

• Always make sure to check the boat's capacity plate for its weight limits.
• Make sure to factor in the weight of passengers, gear, and fuel when doing all calculations.
• Always make sure to regularly check that the weight is within safe limits.

Uneven Weight Distribution

Even if you’re within weight limits, uneven distribution of cargo can make the boat dangerously unstable.

• Spread the weight evenly from left to right and front to back for balance.
• Place heavy items low and centred to help keep the centre of gravity stable.
• If the boat starts leaning, adjust seating and gear immediately.

Securing Cargo

Loose cargo can move around during travel, suddenly throwing off the boat’s balance and greatly increasing the risk of capsizing, especially during quick turns or in choppy waters. It's crucial to properly tie down cargo to keep the boat steady and stable.

• Make sure to use tie-downs and storage compartments to secure all the gear properly.
• Check the cargo before heading out and during the trip, and always make sure everything stays tightly secured, especially after navigating through rough waters and strong currents.
• Don't stack items too high, as it can easily destabilize the boat. Place heavy stuff low in the boat to keep it stable and balanced.

Stick to these guidelines, and the boat will stay balanced and stable. This greatly cuts down on any risk of capsizing from improper loading practices. Safe boating really hinges on proper loading techniques.

Maintaining Balance and Stability

Keeping balance and staying stable is key to avoiding a capsize. Knowing the boat's design and sticking within its limits can really help in keeping things safe.

Free Surface Effect

The free surface effect happens when liquid moves around in half-full tanks or bilges. This shifting messes with the boat's centre of gravity, leading to instability. It can make tipping more likely, especially during rough seas.

• Keep tanks either empty or full to cut down on liquid sloshing around.
• Check and secure the bilge compartments regularly.

Hull Integrity

A boat's hull needs to be in top shape for stability. If it's damaged or not well-maintained, water can seep in. This reduces buoyancy and increases the risk of capsizing.

• Check the hull often for any cracks, holes, or damage.
• Fix problems right away when they come up.
• Make sure all watertight compartments are sealed and working well.

Understanding Boat Limits

Every boat comes with its own set of limits for weight, speed, and handling. Pushing beyond these boundaries can mess with stability and make capsizing more likely.

• Get to know the boat's specs and what it can handle.
• Don't go over the recommended speed or weight limits.
• Change up how it's handled based on its design and current water conditions.

Focus on keeping the boat balanced and stable. Regular maintenance is key. Know what the boat can handle, too. This way, there's a much lower chance of capsizing, making boating trips safer overall.

Collision and Grounding

Collisions and grounding are major dangers that can cause a boat to capsize. Staying alert and navigating carefully is crucial for avoiding these accidents, ensuring the vessel remains stable on water.

Collision Risks

Bumping into other boats or underwater obstacles can really throw a boat off balance and cause it to capsize. This becomes especially risky in crowded waterways or spots with hidden dangers lurking below the surface, making navigation tricky.

• Stay Alert: Always keep an eye out and use navigation aids effectively.
• Respect Right-of-Way Rules: Understand, follow, and adhere to boating right-of-way regulations diligently.
• Leverage Technology: Use radar systems and GPS tools to detect obstacles early on.

Grounding Risks

Grounding happens when a boat hits the shore or underwater obstacles, which can cause sudden weight shifts and potentially lead to capsizing. This unexpected event often catches everyone off guard.

• Get to Know the Waterways: Take time to learn about local waterways and avoid those tricky shallow spots.
• Utilise Navigation Tools: Use nautical charts, depth finders, and GPS systems for safe navigation through waters.
• Always Proceed with Caution: Slow down in unfamiliar or shallow areas to prevent any accidental grounding of the boat.

Staying alert and using proper navigation techniques can greatly cut down the risk of collisions and grounding, making boating much safer for everyone involved. Proper preparation along with awareness are crucial to keeping stability intact and preventing any chance of capsizing during a trip.

Flooding can swiftly transform a boating trip into an extremely hazardous situation. It happens when water gets inside the boat, reducing its buoyancy and increasing the risk of capsizing dramatically. Knowing how to prevent and handle flooding is absolutely essential for every boater.

Risks of Flooding

Water can seep into the boat through leaks, waves crashing over the sides, or failing to secure hatches and ports properly. If not dealt with quickly enough, even a small amount of water can build up and seriously destabilize the entire vessel.

• Close Hatches and Ports: Always make sure hatches, ports, and doors are tightly closed and sealed before heading out on the water.
• Regular Inspections: Regularly check the boat for any potential leaks or weaknesses in the hull structure. Fixing these issues immediately is crucial to safety.
• Bilge Pumps: Equip every boat with reliable bilge pumps that work properly. Check them often to ensure they can effectively remove unwanted water from inside.

Recognising Signs of Impending Capsize

Spotting early signs of instability can really help in taking corrective action before things get out of hand. Here are some key indicators that suggest the boat might be at risk of capsizing:

Listing happens when a boat tilts to one side, even in calm waters. This often means there's uneven weight distribution or water getting inside the hull somewhere.

• Spread the weight out evenly across everything.
• Check for leaks right away and fix them immediately.

Taking on Water

When water starts piling up faster than it can be pumped out, it's a major red flag that something is seriously wrong.

• Find and seal up where the water is coming in.
• Grab bilge pumps to get rid of water quickly and efficiently.

Unusual Movements

When the boat feels sluggish, acts unpredictably with steering, or tilts too much during turns, it’s a clear sign of instability.

• Take it easy and steady the boat, making sure everything is balanced.
• Make sure to check for any shifting cargo and properly secure it in place.

Recognising these signs and reacting quickly can stop capsizing, making boating much safer for everyone. Staying alert and acting fast are crucial to keeping the boat stable on the water at all times.

Real-Life Examples and Lessons Learned

Mv golden ray (2019).

The MV Golden Ray , a car carrier ship, tragically capsized off the coast of Georgia because of inaccurate stability calculations and unsecured watertight doors. This unfortunate incident really underscored just how crucial it is to get loading right and secure all openings properly in order to maintain overall stability at sea. Always stick to precise stability calculations and make sure every watertight compartment is securely locked down.

Seacor Power (2021)

The Seacor Power , a lift boat, tragically capsized in the Gulf of Mexico amid hurricane-force winds. This heartbreaking event highlighted just how dangerous severe weather can be and underscored the critical need for proper preparation and effective response plans to ensure safety at sea. Keep a close eye on the weather and steer clear of operating during severe conditions.

Duck Boat Incident (2018)

A duck boat in Missouri tragically capsized during a sudden storm, leading to numerous fatalities. The vessel was not built for rough waters, and unfortunately, the operators ignored critical weather warnings that day. Choose boats that fit the conditions and always pay attention to weather advisories.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (1998)

In the 1998 race , extreme weather caused several yachts to capsize, resulting in numerous dramatic rescues. This event highlighted just how unpredictable weather can be and underscored the critical need for strong safety protocols at sea.

These examples really show how crucial it is to be well-prepared, stay alert, and follow safety rules closely in order to prevent capsizing incidents and ensure boating remains safe for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Capsizing is a real danger out on the water. But with good prep, staying alert, and keeping up with maintenance, it can be avoided.

Head over to the boat search on our website to discover a wide selection of boats for sale, tailored to suit every need and budget. Embark on your next journey with the confidence that you've chosen the best boat for your adventures. Happy boating!

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