Small boat crossings have become a political flashpoint in the UK (Picture: Reuters)
At least five people have died while trying to cross the English Channel this morning.
One child is believed to be among the dead, according to a local charity.
The migrants were attempting to travel over the busy stretch of water after leaving from a patch of shoreline near the French town of Wimereux.
Local police were operating at a beach in the area today, with the French coast guard saying there were several ‘lifeless bodies’.
A spokesperson said it has been a ‘busy’ morning for crossings and its agents continued to be patrolling the sea.
Olivier Ternicien, president of Bolougne-based migrant charity Osmose 62, said: ‘A child has died. A third helicopter has just arrived, we fear the worst.’
French Navy intervention tug the Abeille Normandie had picked up around 100 migrants from the sea by 10am before taking them to the nearby port of Boulogne.
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The boat left from the town of Wimereux in northern France (Picture: Metro Graphics)
The latest report of deaths in the Channel comes a day after Rishi Sunak’s plan to deport migrants to Rwanda was backed by the House of Lords.
He had earlier admitted it would be another 10 to 12 weeks before the first flights taking asylum seekers to the central African country take off.
The PM has placed the flights at the centre of his effort to stop people from making the dangerous voyage in small boats.
He argues that potential migrants will be deterred from paying people smugglers to ferry them across the Channel if they won’t be allowed to settle in the UK upon arrival.
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In an appearance on Good Morning Britain today, illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson said: ‘I can give you an example of where this deterrent effect has been up and running and has worked.
‘We see almost no Albanians getting into small boats at the moment, numbers have decreased by almost 90%.’
He added: ‘People know from Albania that it’s not worth their while coming because they’ll be put straight on a flight.’
This is a developing news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
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