“The smuggler is the scapegoat,” according to Utopia 56, which calls on France to change its migration policy

At least 12 migrants died trying to reach England off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer on Tuesday.

It is the deadliest shipwreck since the beginning of the year. “We can always blame it on the criminal smugglers and that is of course what will happen.”regrets Yann Manzi, co-founder of Utopia 56, guest of franceinfo Tuesday, September 3. At least 12 people died off the coast of Pas-de-Calais, when a boat attempting to cross to the United Kingdom sank, according to a provisional report announced by Gérald Darmanin, the resigning Minister of the Interior. The association that helps illegal immigrants and refugees believes that the smuggler is “a scapegoat” and calls on France and the European Union to cease their “morbid politics”.

Late Tuesday morning, a boat carrying around 70 migrants trying to reach the United Kingdom got into difficulty off Cap Gris Nez, near Wimereux, in Pas-de-Calais. “65 “Shipwrecked people were rescued”among them “12 people died”indicated the maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea, in a provisional human toll published at 3:30 p.m. Gérald Darmanin, also reported “two missing and several injured”in a publication on X. The minister is expected at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer on Tuesday to meet “elected and help”.

In total, since the beginning of January, 25 people have lost their lives during these crossings between France and the United Kingdom. “How is it that after all these repeated tragedies, safe routes are not being put in place for all these exiled populations? ?”asks Yann Manzi, who denounces “repressive policies that don’t work” in France and the European Union. The Utopia 56 teams are “devastated by what is happening”says the co-founder of the association.

After his meeting with elected officials and rescue workers in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Gérald Darmanin will speak about this fatal shipwreck. Yann Manzi claims to already know the speech of the resigning Minister of the Interior: “We can always put it on the backs of criminal smugglers and that is what Mr. Darmanin is going to do. We simply say: to whom and why these deaths? ? What is this French and European policy that continues on our shores, whether in France, in the Mediterranean or in the desert, and which has killed tens of thousands of people? ? She is morbid.”

Earlier on Tuesday, on Franceinfo, the mayor of Wimereux, Jean-Luc Dubaële, said: “angry”He wanted to denounce “a network of criminal smugglers.” “The smuggler is the scapegoat for this whole story”replies Yann Manzi. “Who benefits from the crime? ? And what are these non-welcoming policies that we have put in place to experience what we are experiencing today?”denounces the co-founder of Utopia 56.

Based on the association’s figures, Yann Manzi counts “more than 21 000 people” Who “have passed” in 2024 by this dangerous sea route that is the English Channel, separating France from the United Kingdom. “We have exceeded last year’s figures […] despite more than 200 millions euros put in place this year to ensure that this does not happen again, it continues”. Utopia 56 calls on France and the European Union to change policy and provide safe routes for these “people fleeing Iran, fleeing Iraq, Kurds, Sudanese, Eritreans… refugees […] who have an international status which must protect them.”