Suspect arrested in England after 4 die in failed channel crossing from France to UK

LONDON — British authorities arrested a man from Sudan on Friday on suspicion of endangering life after four migrants died trying to board an inflatable boat to cross the English Channel.

Two men and two women died and 38 others were rescued Thursday after being swept away in strong currents at a French beach where they had been attempting to launch for the perilous crossing to Britain.

The 27-year-old suspect was one of more than 70 other migrants who continued the journey and he was arrested at a migrant processing center on England’s southeast coast under a new border and immigration law that includes charges for endangering someone’s life during a journey by sea to the U.K.

It was not clear what role the suspect is alleged to have played in the crossing.

The incident occurred at Equihen Beach in Calais as the migrants tried to wade out to what authorities call a “taxi-boat,” typically a small motorized inflatable that picks up people along large stretches of the northern French coast.

The tactic has become more popular with smugglers as police on the beaches try to thwart crossings by puncturing the rafts that groups of migrants have to inflate and carry to the water.

Under maritime law, French police do not try to stop the boats on the water because it put lives at risk.

The suspect remained in custody to be questioned, the NCA said. Investigators also planned to interview other channel crossers.

Recent days have seen a surge in attempted crossings and deaths with 102 people rescued in two operations on Wednesday. Two people died last week in similar circumstances off the coast north of Calais.