- Suspects accused of aiding unauthorized immigration into the UK
- Fourth individual detained after five migrants’ tragic demise
- Over 50 others identified aboard vessel, under interrogation
The suspects are suspected of aiding and abetting unauthorized immigration and unlawfully entering the United Kingdom. An additional 55 individuals who were reportedly present on board have been identified.
A fourth individual has been apprehended on suspicion of immigration-related offences, following the demise of five migrants, one of whom was a minor, in an attempt to traverse the Channel.
The Sudanese national, aged 18, was apprehended yesterday evening in Manston, Kent, and is currently being questioned in detention, according to a statement from the National Crime Agency.
Additionally, it was stated that a Sudanese national, aged 19, who was apprehended on Tuesday evening, had been released without any charges and was presently under the supervision of immigration officials.
Two additional males, a Sudanese national aged 22 and a South Sudanese national aged 22, who were apprehended yesterday (April 24), remain in custody, according to the statement.
This follows the tragic deaths of three men, one woman, and a seven-year-old girl on Tuesday while attempting to traverse the English Channel.
An additional 55 individuals who were reportedly present on the vessel have been positively identified and will continue to be interrogated by law enforcement over the coming days.
Craig Turner, the National Crime Agency’s deputy director of investigations, stated, “This tragic incident illustrates the peril to human life that these border crossings pose and underscores the critical nature of apprehending the criminal gangs responsible for their organisation.”
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Approximately fifty individuals who had purchased a seat on the vessel assisted in its descent along the shoreline in Wimereux, northern France, before reaching the waterfront.
At this moment, an additional group of individuals emerged and forcibly boarded the vessel, posing a threat to those inside.
This meant that eleven-two individuals were aboard a vessel that was designed to carry no more than twenty passengers.
On Tuesday alone, the UK government detected a total of 402 migrants crossing the Channel in seven small vessels, with an average of 57 individuals per vessel, according to the most recent data.
The period of April 17-22 saw no identified crossings.
