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A Decathlon store in Germany: There are no more kayaks to buy in French branches on the English Channel (symbol picture)
Photo: Marijan Murat / dpa
The sporting goods manufacturer Decathlon has taken kayaks out of sales in four branches on the northern French coast on the English Channel. The French company justified the move with the numerous attempts by refugees to get to Great Britain in small boats across the English Channel. Therefore, in addition to kayaks, boats in general should no longer be sold that could endanger a person's life during a crossing, Decathlon announced.
The reason given was that the pleasure craft were unsuitable for crossing the English Channel and that people could endanger their lives if they tried anyway.
Products that "increase safety at sea, such as vests, paddles or thermal protection" would continue to be sold in Calais and Grande-Synthe, added the press office.
Accordingly, the suggestion to remove the kayaks from the offer had come from the shops themselves.
Three people who tried to cross the English Channel in kayaks have been missing since Friday; the day before, two kayaks floating off the coast of Calais were discovered and two castaways were rescued.
Again and again people cross the English Channel in small rubber dinghies.
Just last week, Britain reported a daily record of 1,185 illegally arrived migrants.
The crossing is dangerous, especially because the inlet is used by many large ships.
The French coast guard rescued 272 refugees from distress at sea earlier this week.
hba / dpa / AFP