Channel smugglers cram 30 migrants into boats made for six

Children tell charity workers of being knocked into the water as attempts to reach UK from France increase

Smugglers are cramming up to 30 people on to small boats to cross the Channel from France to the UK, and children have been among those who have recently fallen overboard, campaigners have revealed.

As crossing attempts surge at the close of summer amid rumours that Brexit will mean tighter border restrictions, criminal gangs are loading inflatable boats up to five times their capacity. Previously, people smugglers would put about eight passengers on each vessel.

We don’t know how often each family tries, but it is frequent. Children often tell us what happened the previous night

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from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2NIsHC5