French Charity Workers Accused of Aiding Child Migrant Channel Crossings
Volunteers with Opal'Exil were filmed reportedly assisting young migrants as they prepared to embark on dangerous journeys to the UK.
French charity workers have been accused of assisting child migrants in their attempts to cross the English Channel, according to footage captured by an online media organization. Volunteers from the charity Opal'Exil were reportedly seen on a beach in northern France accompanying a group of migrants, including several children, as they prepared to launch rubber dinghies for the UK.
The video, filmed at Equihen beach near Boulogne-sur-Mer, shows one male volunteer carrying a child in a life jacket on his shoulders, while a female volunteer appears to be holding the hands of two other young migrants. The charity workers were observed to quickly remove and hide their distinctive purple tabards upon realizing they were being filmed.
Callum Smiles, from the media organization Voxpopuli, which recorded the footage, stated that he witnessed three boats already launched from the beach and two more approximately 100 yards offshore. He described the migrants as "bone dry," suggesting they had not yet entered the water but were in the process of finding a boat.
"It confirmed all previous suspicions that a lot of the NGOs aren't just there to see to the well-being needs of migrants but actively take part in assisting trafficking," Smiles said.
In the video, Smiles is heard confronting the charity workers, asking, "Can you tell me why your charity is aiding and assisting illegal migration?" He questioned their responsibility should any of the children perish during the crossing.
Opal'Exil, founded last year, provides support such as food and clothing to migrants aiming to cross the Channel. The charity did not respond to requests for comment.
The footage was taken on the same day that separate video emerged showing a migrant leaving a child in the water while attempting to board a small boat. French emergency services rescued the child and returned it to the beach.
Last Wednesday, a record 781 migrants reached the UK in 10 boats. The number of deaths during Channel crossings in 2025 was 24, a decrease from the record 73 fatalities in 2024. One recent journey involved a 40-foot rubber dinghy taking 36 hours to reach the UK after departing from Normandy.