France Confirms Death of Sirowan Alipour, 23-Year-Old Iranian Refugee, Among English Channel Victims

Three weeks after a boat carrying refugees capsized while crossing the English Channel, French authorities confirmed the death of Sirowan Alipour, a 23-year-old Iranian refugee.

The French government has identified 26 of the total 27 victims of the incident. Among the victims, 16 Iraqi Kurds and four Afghans have also been identified.

According to human rights sources, Sirowan Alipour was from Sardasht city in West Azerbaijan.

Dozens of refugees drowned on the third of December of this year while attempting to illegally reach Britain using an inflatable boat by crossing the English Channel.

This is not the first time Iranian refugees have lost their lives on this route. Last November, five members of the “Iraannezad” family, including three children, became victims of a similar incident. This family was also from Sardasht and intended to migrate from France to Britain.

The deaths of refugees have become one of the factors creating tension in France-Britain relations.

French police say they have increased their efforts to prevent migrants from moving toward Britain. However, statistics released by Britain’s immigration authority show that the number of migrants reaching the country’s shores by crossing the English Channel has increased significantly this year.

Non-governmental relief organizations and refugee advocacy groups say that if police controls are tightened, smugglers and migrants may resort to more dangerous methods to escape from police.

Source: Radio Farda