FOUR people are dead after a migrant boat overturned in the English Channel, according to the AFP news agency.
An urgent rescue mission was launched when around 70 people boarded the small vessel headed towards England, it is understood.
Chris EadesAn urgent rescue mission was launched when around 70 people boarded the small vessel[/caption]
As it made its way through French waters near Wimereux, to the south of Calais, it capsized in the early hours on Sunday morning.
Dozens are said to have been pulled from the water with one other person being seriously injured – needing hospital treatment.
According to AFP, those on the boat got into difficulty soon after it departed the French coast around 2am.
A local official said large groups attempted to board and “found themselves in difficulty at sea to reach the boat”.
Survivors are understood to have been taken to a local community centre where they are being looked after.
Cops and firefighters rushed to the scene, reports local press.
The UK Coastguard was not deployed because of the incident occurring in French waters.
It comes after the first arrivals in 2024 were recorded on Saturday.
Migrants had stopped attempting to cross the Channel, according to Home Office figures, since December 16.
But yesterday, after the longest gap in five years, a group were seen disembarking a Border Force vessel in Dover, Kent, after being brought to the shore.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
