Tragedy in the English Channel: Eight dead after attempted crossing ends in disaster

At least eight migrants travelling to the UK drowned today in the latest small boat disaster in the Channel.

French emergency services received a distress call early on Sunday morning from a rowing boat that had gotten into trouble off the coast of Ambleteuse, near Calais.

“Several migrants have died,” said Jacques Billant, prefect of Pas de Calais, who estimates the provisional death toll at eight.

“A rubber boat with about 50 people on board ran aground,” Billant said, adding that the eight unidentified migrants were pronounced dead at the scene.

French authorities rescued around 200 people off the coast of Calais in a 24-hour period on Friday and Saturday nights.

Eight migrants have died after an attempt to cross the Channel ended in disaster. (File photo of a migrant boat escorted by French officials earlier this month)

This comes after French authorities rescued around 200 people off the coast of Calais in a 24-hour period on Friday night. (File image of migrants being taken to Dover as they tried to reach the UK earlier this month)

One boat carrying migrants was found off the coast of Le Portel, with 55 migrants rescued. Elsewhere, 61 migrants were rescued off the coast of La Becque d’Hardelot, 48 were rescued at a lighthouse and 36 others were recovered.

All rescued people have been brought back to land, French authorities said on Saturday, as they monitored 18 attempts to launch boats across the Channel.

The tragedy came less than two weeks after at least 12 people, including a pregnant woman and six children, died when their rickety rubber dinghy broke down in the nearby sea.

Despite the disaster, Sir Keir Starmer insisted last week that his government was “making progress” in stopping boats.

The Prime Minister said he was “confident” that Labour could successfully “tackle” the gangs behind people trafficking, as he attended a summit with law enforcement and security services on the issue.

He said he was working closely with the leaders of Germany and France but was not interested in a European return agreement for rejected asylum seekers.

But shadow home secretary James Cleverly said: ‘Even 12 tragic deaths cannot wake Labour up to the need for a plan to end small boats crossing the Channel.’

When Sir Keir visited the National Crime Agency on 6 September with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, he was asked how he could claim there had been encouraging progress given the latest figures.

The tragedy comes less than two weeks after at least 12 people, including a pregnant woman and six children, died when their rickety dinghy broke down in the sea nearby. Pictured: Emergency services in the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais

He told the BBC: ‘We have already been able to send back more than 3,000 people who were not entitled to this.

‘This also includes the largest special flight we have ever had.

‘So we are making progress. I recognize that more needs to be done.

‘We must tackle the gangs that are engaged in this horrific trade of putting people on boats in the first place.

‘That’s why I’m here today at the National Crime Agency with an operational summit to absolutely drive forward our work there.

“I am determined to regain control of our borders, something the previous government lost control of.”

Sir Keir has also announced that he will investigate Italy’s offshore processing scheme for asylum seekers.

The prime minister said he hopes to discuss his counterpart Giorgia Meloni’s “strong ideas” on the crucial issue of illegal immigration when he visits her in Rome on Monday.

This comes as Sir Keir Starmer unveiled plans to discuss illegal immigration plans with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (pictured together at Blenheim Palace in July)

It is the third bilateral meeting between the two leaders in as many months. They first met at the NATO summit in Washington shortly after the election and then at Blenheim Palace when Britain hosted the European Political Community.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to the White House, Sir Keir said: ‘I’ve already had an exploratory conversation with Giorgia Meloni about how we can work together to tackle illegal migration.

‘She obviously has some strong ideas and I hope to discuss them with her.

“She and I have already discussed how we can improve joint operations, so that is something we will discuss.”

The latest eight deaths mean at least 45 people have died crossing the Channel this year, compared to 12 in the whole of 2023.

The worst incident occurred in November 2021, when 27 people died after their inflatable dinghy capsized.