Kurdish woman identified as first victim of English Channel disaster: Report

A 24-year-old Kurdish woman from northern Iraq has been identified as the first of several victims of a recent mass drowning incident in the English Channel, BBC reported, citing her fiance. At least 27 migrants attempting to travel to the UK from France, lost their lives last Wednesday after their boat capsized.

Her fiance, who lives in the UK, told the BBC that the deceased, Maryam Nuri Mohamed Amin, was one of 27 victims who died while endeavouring to cross into Britain. He said that Amin was in constant touch with him before she drowned with others.

"Until the inflated boat sank completely in the Channel, she tried to convince me that she would be rescued," her fiance told BBC. 

Two travellers survive fatal drowning

Maryam's finance accused local authorities of reaching late. "Help came too late," he told the British broadcaster and added that those who were killed included 17 men, six other women - one of whom was pregnant - and three children. Citing local authorities, BBC reported that two of the travellers-- an Iraqi and a Somali-- survived the fatal incident. The authorities marked the disaster as "one of the biggest losses of life" in the Channel in many years.

Maryam's fiance added that he was uninformed about her arrival to the UK on an inflated boat and added that they were chatting with each other through a social media platform during the "adventurous" journey.  She told him about the situation when the boat deflated and started sinking, the BBC reported.

"She wanted to give me a surprise but, I have no idea that her plan would be the biggest mistake of our life," the media outlet quoted Maryam's fiance as saying.

Meanwhile, her family and friends gathered at her home in northern Iraq to mourn her demise on Friday night. While speaking at the condolence ceremony, Maryam's best friend Imann Hassan told BBC that her friend was "very humble" and had "a very big heart".

English Channel disaster: What happened on Nov 24?

At least 27 people lost their lives after their boat capsized in the English Channel as they attempted to travel to the United Kingdom from France on Wednesday, November 24. French interior minister Gerald Darmanin describe the incident as the worst tragedy to date involving migrants. Darmanin said that the boat was suspected to be carrying 34 individuals, according to AP.

Authorities from France and the United Kingdom carried out an air and sea rescue effort to find the remaining survivors. Following the incident, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron held talks and agreed to keep all the options open to prevent the crossings and "break the business model of the criminal gangs behind them," AP reported citing Johnson's office. 

(Image: AP)