At least 27 people have been killed when a rubber boat carrying refugees across the English Channel between Britain and France sank. Recently, the number of refugees trying to smuggle into the UK has increased significantly, and it is said that international human trafficking organizations are also involved.
This is Reporter Jung Joon-hyung.
<기자>
The accident took place off the coast of Calais in northern France.
A small rubber boat carrying refugees from North Africa and the Middle East, leaving Calais for the UK, sank.
Of the 34 refugees on board, 27 were found dead.
[찰레스 데보스/민간 구조대 : 바다 위에서 끔찍한 상황이었습니다. 시신들이 둥둥 떠다니는 모습이 정말 충격적이었습니다. 발견한 시신들은 모두 수습했습니다.]
While the cause of the sinking of the ship is still unknown, the accident was recorded as the worst disaster in the English-British Strait since 2014.
In particular, it is reported that an international human trafficking criminal organization was also involved in this disaster.
French police say they have arrested and are investigating four traffickers involved in the incident.
[보리스 존슨/영국 총리 : 제멋대로 활개치고 있는 인신매매범들을 일망타진하기 위해 우리 모두가 협력해서 대응해야 할 때가 됐습니다.]
Britain and France have decided to take a joint response to the disaster, but it is not likely to be easy to stop the procession of refugees who risk their lives to enter the UK in search of work.
It is said that more than 20 refugee boats tried to cross the English Channel on the day of the incident alone.
A total of 25,000 refugees who crossed the English-French this year, more than three times the number of last year, are a factor in the conflict between the UK and France.
(Video editing: Yonghwa Jung)
.
