STATEMENT ON CHILD DEATHS FOLLOWING MIGRANT BOAT CAPSIZE IN ENGLISH CHANNEL
London, 3 September 2024 - In response to the child deaths following the capsize of a migrant boat in the English Channel today, Alison Griffin, Head of Conflict and Humanitarian Campaigns at Save the Children UK, said:
"Reports that children had died in the Channel earlier today were deeply upsetting. ‘These tragedies are happening far too often,’ she said. ‘The new Labour government has the power to end this by opening up safe and legal routes for those fleeing persecution.
“Our current system is broken and criminalises the most vulnerable. The government has a critical and urgent task to uphold its international commitments to protect families needing sanctuary and to stop children being forced to risk their lives on these dangerous journeys.
“The government must provide a safe process by which children and families fleeing conflict can have their UK asylum claims heard. The English Channel must not become a graveyard for children.”
END
For more information, please contact:
+44 7831 650 40
Your browser or network settings do not allow features used by this page. Please try a different browser or network.