France is not doing enough to prevent migrant deaths in the Channel, a departing minister has admitted in Paris.
Guillaume Kasbarian was speaking after eight men died on Sunday in the latest small boat tragedy near Calais.
Six survivors, including a 10-month-old baby, remained in hospital on Monday as the hunt for the human traffickers responsible continued.
This prompted the outgoing Housing Minister, Mr Kasbarian, to tell radio station France Info: ‘We must acknowledge with humility that we have not done enough and encourage those who want to do more in the future.
‘These are terrible tragedies that raise questions about humanity, but also about our migration policy, the fight against human trafficking and human smugglers.’
This is believed to be the inflatable rubber dinghy that killed eight migrants on Sunday as they tried to cross the Channel.
At least eight migrants bound for the UK drowned yesterday after the sloop (pictured) got into trouble in the Channel
This comes after French authorities rescued around 200 people off the coast of Calais in a 24-hour period on Friday night. (File image of migrants being taken to Dover as they tried to reach the UK earlier this month)
The mea culpa represents a marked change in French responses to small-boat disasters. President Emmanuel Macron’s ministers, however, have mostly blamed the British for the rising death toll.
“I hope we can overcome our divisions,” Mr. Kasbarian said. “Be as humane and as firm as possible on the issue of migration.”
France has been in a state of political paralysis for the past two months after snap elections led to a parliamentary stalemate.
Macron appointed Michel Barnier, the EU’s former Brexit negotiator, as his new prime minister earlier this month, but Barnier has not yet formed a new government.
Asked what Mr Barnier’s migration policy should be, Mr Kasbarian replied: ‘I will make sure that I do not give moral lessons at this tragic time.’
A criminal investigation has been launched after eight unknown men were killed on the beach at Ambleteuse, near Calais, on Sunday.
They were among 59 migrants travelling to the UK who were in a rickety rowing boat that “tore apart” when it hit rocks.
A British government spokesman said French authorities were leading the investigation.
“We can confirm that an incident has occurred in the Channel involving a small boat in French waters,” the spokesperson said at the time.
“The French authorities are leading the response and investigation. We will not be commenting further at this stage.”
Fewer than 10 people were wearing life jackets on a boat organised by people smugglers, who were charging up to £1,000 per person for an illegal crossing from France to the UK.
The passengers came from Eritrea, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Egypt and Iran, local prefect Jacques Billant said, without naming any further individuals.
The disaster at Ambleteuse occurred just after 1am and within six hours another group of migrants left from exactly the same location.
An aid worker said: ‘Bodies were being taken to a slipway in Ambleteuse, but a second boat was already leaving from there at 7am.
‘Boats have been out in the area all weekend, there have been non-stop rescue operations.’
Sunday’s death toll means that 46 migrants have died in similar circumstances in the Channel this year alone.
A group of people believed to be migrants are taken to Dover, Kent from a Border Force ship following an incident involving a small boat in the Channel. Pictured on September 4, 2024
The Channel is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes and currents are strong, making crossings dangerous in small boats. (File image of migrants being taken to Dover as they tried to reach the UK earlier this month)
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In April, a criminal investigation was also launched into the deaths of five migrants, including a girl, in nearby Wimereux.
On January 14, five migrants also drowned when they tried to travel to Britain from Wimereux beach.
The furious mayor of Wimereux has repeatedly argued that such tragedies are all the fault of the British.
Jean-Luc Dubaele said in April: ‘Britain is responsible for the boats crossing the Channel and the deaths at sea.
‘The English pay us to stop the boats leaving, but they take care of the migrants once they reach their shores.
‘The English give them shelter, food, a bank account and let them work without rules.’
Earlier this month, six children and a pregnant woman also died after a boat was ‘torn apart’ and sank in the waters near Wimereux.
On arrival, the migrants were outfitted in a variety of life jackets and taken to the immigration processing centre, while a bus full of asylum seekers left for the main centre in Manston.
The worst such tragedy occurred in November 2021, when 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank en route to the UK – the highest recorded death toll from a single incident.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron pledged this summer to “strengthen cooperation” in the fight against people smugglers.
Starmer claimed last week that his government was “making progress” in stopping boats.
The Prime Minister said he was “confident” that Labour could successfully “tackle” the gangs behind people trafficking, as he attended a summit with law enforcement and security services on the issue.
But shadow home secretary James Cleverly said: ‘Even 12 tragic deaths cannot wake Labour up to the need for a plan to end small boats crossing the Channel.’
When Sir Keir visited the National Crime Agency on 6 September with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, he was asked how he could claim there had been encouraging progress given the latest figures.
He told the BBC: ‘We have already been able to send back more than 3,000 people who were not entitled to this.
‘This also includes the largest special flight we have ever had.
‘So we are making progress. I recognize that more needs to be done.