Good Morning Britain Halted for ‘Devastating’ Breaking News of Migrant Baby’s Death in Channel Tragedy
ITV’s Good Morning Britain was interrupted for a heartbreaking breaking news announcement during Friday’s broadcast (October 18), via the Express. Hosts Adil Ray and Charlotte Hawkins, who were presenting the final edition of the week, delivered the devastating news that a baby had died after a migrant boat ran into difficulties in the English Channel.
Charlotte explained that more than 60 people had been rescued by French authorities, but tragically, the baby had drowned. She solemnly announced, “Tragic breaking news that we’ve got here. Yet another death in the Channel, this one a baby. How long will it be before there is control of the situation and before we won’t see deaths like this happening?”
The tragic incident occurred on Thursday night when 65 people were rescued after an overloaded boat began sinking off the coast of Wissant in northern France. Some passengers were already in the water when rescuers arrived. Among them was an unconscious baby, who was later declared dead.
The local prefecture confirmed the dire situation, stating, “Rescuers found that the boat, which was heavily loaded, was in difficulty and that some people were in the water. Rescuers began to recover the people in difficulty. At the same time, further searches were carried out to find people who could be stranded at sea.”
This latest tragedy follows another incident just earlier in October, when a two-year-old child was crushed to death, and three others also lost their lives in a similar disaster. The frequent loss of life in these perilous crossings continues to raise serious concerns about the ongoing migrant crisis.
Work and Pensions Minister Alison McGovern, joining Good Morning Britain via video link, described the news as “devastating.” Clearly emotional, she said, “It’s just heartbreaking to think of a baby dying in that way. It’s devastating.”
The shocking events once again underscore the dangerous reality of migrant crossings in the Channel, prompting renewed calls for action to prevent further tragedies.