Two places can give you a lot of information about why people travel from all over the globe to northern France.

One is located near Grande-Synthe and Dunkirk. The middle channel is the other.

Let’s begin with the Channel. Today, we went there after hours of perilous situations in which dozens of people died and others were injured when their boat collapsed while they were out on the water.

It was cold on the water, and the waves were strong enough to shake our boat.

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After small migrant boat capsizings in English Channel, at least four people were killed and 43 others were rescued

Our boat was large, seaworthy and fitted with powerful engines, life jackets, radar, and other equipment. Inflatable boats are used by migrants to cross into Britain, but they have weak engines.

You’ll be overcrowded. If you do get one, it’s rare. Sometimes, smugglers will give you a child’s life vest for less than the cost of an adult.

Today was clear and offered a captivating image. We could clearly see both the French coast behind us and the British coast ahead from our boat somewhere in the middle of Channel. They beckon you towards them, the white cliffs.

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There were at least four deaths and 43 people rescued from a small migrant boat that capsized

It seems like the gap between these two countries is so small. It’s not surprising that so many people have crossed the Channel to seek asylum in Britain after fleeing war, persecution, or other dangers. A boat trip may seem easy if you have fled terrors at home and made it across Europe to reach Calais.

It would be foolish to ignore the dangers of large ships, the icy waves, and the ever-present possibility of your boat falling apart.

However, after asking many people about these risks, they all agreed that it was a normal response. The idea that fate will decide and that this is just the end of a dangerous, long journey is what I have come to accept. Popular response is “Inshallah”.

This takes us to the second location, a migrant camp close to a Grande-Synthe cement plant. This is a squalid area where everyone is in transit, and nobody wants to stay. It’s also where migrants new to the coast can find people smugglers who will sell them tickets to Britain.

“I drowned on that boat”

A group of men from India’s Punjab region met us. Their story was remarkable timely.

They had also started from a French beach the previous night to reach Britain. Their boat capsized five kilometres from the coast. They claimed that they called the French emergency number but were not able to get any help.

They managed to coax the boat to return to shore and they swam back to their beach. One of them said it was “so cold”.

His clothes were still damp, but he was wearing new clothing that a charity had given him. I wanted to know how you felt in that cold boat. He said, “Frightened.” “I was drowned on that boat.”

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Braverman claims that crossing is a ‘lethally risky undertaking’

He feels that he has to try again because of “family problems” at his home. This is a common story in these camps, of people fleeing from their pasts.

They consider it impossible to enter Britain legally. The people living in these camps choose the only viable option, which is feasible, reasonable, and available – a small boat crossing organized by a people smuggler. These risks are part of the effort.

When you consider the desperate situation of those at the camp, the high number of people smugglers, and the risk involved in crossing the Channel by themselves, it is possible to see that there has been no increase in deaths.

As long as this number continues to rise, our anxiety should also increase. It’s a safe prediction, I fear. More people will drown in the English Channel’s bleak and cold waters.