Father of girl who died in English Channel says family feared being deported to Iraq

An emergency medical services helicopter takes off from the Wimereux, France on April 23rd, following the recovery of the bodies of five migrants who died trying to cross the Channel from France to Britain. Photograph: Bernard Barron/AFP via Getty Imageshas said they tried to cross the English Channel after being informed his young family would be deported to Iraq after spending years in Europe.

Speaking to the BBC, Alhashimi, who said he left Basra in Iraq 14 years ago after being threatened by militia, said Sara had been born in Belgium and lived in Sweden but that his multiple applications for asylum in EU countries had been rejected.

They had previously been caught by police but Alhashimi said the smugglers had assured him that for €1,500 per adult, and half for each child that they would be among 40 people, mostly Iraqis, to get on a boat. He begged those around him, including a young Sudanese man who had been among those to join the boat at the last moment, to move aside to let him grab his youngest child.

He added: “I could not protect her. I will never forgive myself. But the sea was the only choice I had.”

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