She is the first of many victims yet to be identified
The first confirmed victim of Wednesday's Channel tragedy has been identified as a 24-year-old Kurdish woman who was trying to reach her partner in the UK.
Maryam Nuri Mohamed Amin was one of 27 people who drowned attempting to reach UK shores from the mainland.
Her cousin, Krmanj Ezzat Dargali, told LBC that she was "glowing with hope" to start a new life with her fiancé Karzan.
"Instead of hope it ended in tragedy," said Krmanj.
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"Her life ended, but the torture and the wounding and the excruciating pain for our family began."
Before Maryam was identified on Thursday, her fiancé said he was concerned for her health after her GPS suddenly cut off.
"I am in a very bad state," he told the
Telegraph.
"She is not in the UK, which means that she is gone. It is very sad for me, and for everyone.
"I had continuous contact with my wife and I was tracking her live GPS. After 4 hours and 18 minutes, from the moment she went into that boat, I think they were in the middle of the sea, then I lost her."
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Upon hearing that a boat had capsized in the Channel, Karzan contacted the human traffickers, who confirmed they were unable to communicate with the vessel.
It is understood that her family is awaiting her body to be flown back to Iraq to hold a funeral in the Kurdish city of Irbil.
"Her mother and father are totally devastated," Maryam's cousin told
Sky News.
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"The situation is just awful. She was a woman in the prime of her life. It's a total tragedy and the whole family are in shock."
Addressing the Uk Government, he added: "We hoped that Britain and France would accept us in a better way.
"Anyone who wants to leave their home and travel to Europe has their own reasons and hopes, so please just help them in a better way and not force them to take this route of death."
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