No less than one migrant is assumed to have drowned within the Channel after a small boat obtained into difficulties in French waters.
Two individuals have been reported lacking and one was lifted from the water unconscious whereas making an attempt to make the crossing to Britain, French officers mentioned.
A French coastguard spokesperson mentioned they went to assistance from a small boat with migrants on board off the coast of Cap Gris-Nez, northern France.
Rescuers picked up a complete of about 180 migrants in 4 separate operations on Wednesday, the maritime prefecture mentioned. Dozens of individuals have been introduced ashore at Dover after making the harmful journey in numerous boats in in foggy climate.
A few of these rescued informed the crew of a French navy vessel that three individuals had gone lacking throughout their crossing try.
Searches with French navy boats and a helicopter discovered one one that couldn’t be revived, however two different individuals have been nonetheless lacking, it mentioned.
Round 50 migrants have been on the makeshift boat, officers mentioned.
A UK authorities spokesperson mentioned: “We will affirm there was an incident within the Channel involving a small boat in French waters.
“French authorities are main the response and investigation. We won’t be commenting additional at this stage.”
A file 290 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats on Sunday – the very best recorded quantity for a single day in February.
The final fatalities within the Channel occurred on 14 January when 5 migrants died after an pressing rescue mission was launched to assist round 70 individuals in issue.
This week, Residence Workplace figures confirmed that greater than 2,000 migrants have arrived within the UK to date this yr after crossing the strait between England and France.
The variety of Channel arrivals is 32 per cent decrease than the full recorded this time final yr (2,953) however 49 per cent increased than the full at this stage in 2022 (1,482).
Some 29,437 migrants arrived within the UK after making the crossing final yr, down 36 per cent on a file 45,774 arrivals in 2022.