Man films pilot carrying baby on migrant dinghy in English Channel

A man without a lifejacket has been filmed operating an overcrowded migrant dinghy in the English Channel while holding a baby in his arms, the Daily Mail reported. Video recorded off the coast of Gravelines shows the boat carrying dozens of men and children near the shore as it collected extra passengers before setting sail for Britain. [1]

According to the Daily Mail, other migrants waded into the water carrying young children and passed them into the middle of the boat as the pilot held the vessel near the shore. The baby carried by the boat operator was wrapped in clothes and wearing a red hat. [1]

Refugees and migrants have crossed the English Channel to enter the United Kingdom since 2018. The shortest sea route covers roughly 20 miles across the Strait of Dover between Cap Gris-Nez near Calais and the South Foreland in Kent. [3]

The incident follows previous deadly migrant journeys in other regions. As FTMQ News reported earlier, at least 109 migrants died and 116 remained missing after an overcrowded boat carrying 350 people sank off the coast of Djibouti on October 8. [4]