Seven-year-old girl drowns in English Channel while attempting to reach UK

A seven-year-old girl drowned after a small boat carrying 16 people trying to get to the United Kingdom overturned on Sunday in northern France, Al Jazeera reported.

According to a statement by the local authority, the vehicle “was not appropriately sized to carry so many people”.

The incident marked the third fatal crossing attempt this year, whereas at least 671 people have managed to reach their destination so far this year.

A total of 12 people were killed trying to cross the channel last year, while some 29,437 reached Britain, according to figures from London’s interior ministry. Most arrivals were from Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Eritrea and Iraq.