Refugee Action has responded to another tragedy in the Channel in which at least three people have died.

Tim Naor Hilton, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, said: 

“This is heartbreaking, and our thoughts go out to the loved ones of people who have died and to refugees everywhere for who this will be retraumatising. 

“Let’s be clear, today’s tragedy and those on previous days are predictable and inevitable and caused by hostile Government policies – such as those announced yesterday by the Prime Minister – which are designed to keep people out and not keep people safe. 

“Ministers even ignored a Home Office report two years ago that revealed deterrent policies are ineffective and will not stop people risking their lives to cross the Channel.  

“Since then dozens of people have died off the south coast, yet the Government has doubled down on expensive and futile get-tough-quick schemes that only make deaths in the Channel more likely. 

“The Government must create more routes to reach the UK to claim asylum. Until they do, more people will die trying to reach safety here.”