Posted
Update
For the moment, the Decathlon brand no longer sells kayaks in four stores on the Opal Coast, notably in Calais and Grande-Synthe (Pas-de-Calais and Nord). Without being able to afford places in the smugglers’ boats, some migrants are ready to buy these very light boats. Often deadly crossings.
In the Decathlon stores on the Opal Coast on Wednesday November 17, it is impossible to buy an inflatable kayak. The shelves were all emptied, much to the dismay of a group of Eritreans who wanted to cross the Channel. “The risks they take are considerable. We are committed to never putting our customers at risk.”, explains the sign in a press release.
A kayak to reach England. The trip is perilous, but some migrants try it because they cannot afford the 2,000 euros needed to cross the Channel on board one of the smugglers’ boats. For Alain Ledaguenel, president of the Dunkirk sea rescuers station, the sports brand’s decision could avoid some drama. “Inflatable kayaks are not equipped and do not give a radar image, which greatly complicates our research.” Withdrawing these boats from the sale would be a symbolic but ineffective measure, according to associations. “This is not the way to take the humanitarian crisis unfolding here”, pleads Pierre Roques, coordinator of the Auberge des migrants. According to the maritime prefecture, 30,000 migrants have tried to cross the Channel since the start of the year, three times more than last year.