Family killed in Channel migrant boat tragedy identified as search called off for baby

Two adults and two children who died after their migrant boat sank in the Channel have been identified as members of a Kurdish-Iranian family.

Rasoul Iran-Nejad, 35, Shiva Mohammad Panahi, 35, Anita, nine, and Armin, six, died after trying to make the journey from France to the UK, the BBC reported.

Their 15-month-old boy, named by the news site as Artin, remains missing.

Fifteen other migrants were taken to hospital and French authorities have opened an investigation into the sinking which took place on Tuesday.

It is believed to be the single biggest loss of life during the current migrant crisis, and brings the total number of deaths since 2018 to 10.

The family were reportedly from Sardasht, a city in western Iran, near to the border with Iraq.

Mr Iran-Nejad's friend, a refugee in Dunkirk, told the BBC's international affairs correspondent Jiyar Gol that the family left Iran on August 7 for Turkey.

They then took a ferry to Italy before driving to France almost a month ago, the friend said, adding that they paid around £21,600 (€24,000) to the smugglers.

Speaking over the phone from the Kurdish city of Sardasht in Western Iran, Mr Iran-Nejad's brother told Mr Gol that his brother had sold everything to seek a better future for his family.

The boat they embarked to cross the sea into the UK had a capacity of 18 passengers.

However, it understood to have been overloaded with as many as 28 people.

It comes as French rescuers said there is no hope of finding any more survivors from the boat which capsized off the coast of Dunkirk.

Search and rescue boats and military resources scoured the sea off the French coast for hours, looking for any survivors.

But nightfall brought a halt to the rescue operation, and searches did not resume on Wednesday.

French authorities had said that the children who died were aged five and eight.

Following news of the deaths, Sonya Sceats, CEO of Freedom from Torture, said: “The deaths of these men, women and children are shocking.

“But sadly, it comes as no surprise to those of us who work with people fleeing torture and persecution.

“We have repeatedly called for safe and legal routes for people to access asylum in the UK and prevent these senseless tragedies.

“Instead, Home Secretary Priti Patel has spent the summer whipping up hysteria about the Channel and painting these vulnerable people as invading foreigners, for political ends.”

In a statement released on Tuesday evening, Ms Patel said she was “truly saddened” to learn of the deaths.

She added: “This tragic news highlights the dangers that come with crossing the Channel and I will do everything I can to stop callous criminals exploiting vulnerable people.”

Two people have already died making the perilous journey across the Channel this year, including one earlier this month.

More than 7,400 migrants have reached the UK in small boats – up from 1,825 in 2019.

Tuesday's major search operation was launched after the vessel was spotted in difficulty during wind gusts of up to 18mph.

French patrol boats and a helicopter from the Belgian air force were dispatched as well as a fishing boat.

But efforts were called off at 5pm due to lack of light.

Care4Calais founder Clare Moseley said the refugee community in Calais is “utterly devastated”.

She said: “We are grieving for the victims, we stand in sympathy and solidarity with their families and friends.

“It is cruel and horrifying that this time, young children are among the victims.

“This unnecessary loss of life has to stop. No one should ever feel they have to get into a fragile craft and risk their lives crossing the Channel, least of all vulnerable children.”

She called for the incident to be a “wake-up call” for those in power in the UK and France.

Yvette Cooper MP, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "This is truly awful news - and it is even more distressing that children should be involved in this tragedy.

"The thought of children ending up in the cold waves is terrible.

"These boats are incredibly dangerous. The criminal gangs who organise journeys in these precarious dinghies are profiting from putting lives at risk and from other people's desperation.

"The Home Affairs Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into Channel crossings and into the work that is urgently needed to prevent more lives being lost."

But former refugees have hit out at the Government's handling of the crisis.

Steve Ali, a Syrian refugee who crossed the Channel in 2016 accused ministers of trying to "divert responsibility for these tragedies onto traffickers" and said more needed to be done to ensure safe passage.

While Khaled Shalaby, a refugee and journalist from North Africa, said: "The English Channel must not become a graveyard for children.

"We call on the UK and French governments to do more to ensure the safety of desperate families and vulnerable children."

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Migrant boat tragedy 'should serve as wake up call for UK and France'