6 dead, dozens rescued after migrant boat capsizes in English Channel

Six people died and more than 50 were rescued when a boat carrying migrants capsized Saturday in the English Channel, according to French authorities.

The Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea initially reported that six of those rescued were in critical condition. One individual later died after being transported by helicopter to a Calais hospital, and an update confirmed the deaths of five others who were ferried to shore by boat.

"This morning, a migrant boat capsized off Calais," French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on social media. "My thoughts are with the victims."

The deaths come as Britain's ruling Conservative Party has sought to stop crossings of small, often unseaworthy, boats with a variety of policies that have come under fire for failing to stem the flow of migrants.

French authorities noted a marked increase in attempted crossings from the coast since Thursday during the onset of milder weather. British authorities said 755 people crossed the channel in small boats Thursday, the highest daily number this year.

Small boat arrivals are down 15 per cent from the number at this point last year. As of Thursday, 15,826 had been detected in the year to date, compared to 18,600 at this time last year.

Last year, five migrants died and four were reported missing while attempting to cross from the northern coast of France. In November 2021, a boat carrying migrants sank, resulting in the deaths of 27 individuals.

The search and rescue operation Saturday involved both British and French vessels, triggered by a report from a patrol boat about a migrant vessel in distress near Sangatte. Three French ships, a helicopter, and a plane canvassed the area and two British ships participated in the search.

French boats rescued 37 people, a British boat from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution saved a dozen and three others were picked up by a British chartered boat.

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At least four people died when their boat sank in the English Channel this week, a route taken by tens of thousands of migrants and refugees trying to reach the U.K. Matt Galloway discusses these perilous journeys and the lack of legal routes for some nationalities, with Nando Sigona, chair of international migration and forced displacement at the University of Birmingham; and Christa Rottensteiner, chief of mission with the International Organization for Migration in the U.K., a United Nations agency.

Borne also mentioned that Sea Minister Herv Berville was headed to the site to assist with the situation.

U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who tweeted that it had been "tragic loss of life," later met with Border Force officials.

The incident is under investigation by the Boulogne prosecutor's office.