At least 12 people have died – including 10 women and girls – after a boat with dozens of migrants tore apart in the English Channel, a local mayor has said.
Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel, a French coastal town being used in a rescue operation, said “the bottom of the boat ripped open”.
The French coastguard said more than 65 people had been rescued after a vessel got into difficulties on Tuesday morning.
Local authorities said several people needed emergency treatment and a temporary medical post has been set up at the port at Boulogne-sur-Mer, about 28 miles (45km) southwest of Calais.
France’s Interior minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters that 12 people had died – and 10 of those were women and girls.
He also said only eight of the 70 people on the boat had lifejackets.
A spokesperson for the French maritime prefecture said helicopters and boats have been used in the search for survivors.
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Resources deployed included helicopters and vessels from the French customs and Navy, as well as boats from the SNSM, the French equivalent of the RNLI.
Another media outlet France 3 had initially said “at least 100 migrants” were on board at 11.30am (10.30am UK time).
Earlier Mr Darmanin described the incident on X as “terrible”, adding that “all government resources [have been] mobilised to find the missing and take care of the victims”.
Le Portel is reportedly where the boat was launched.
UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the deaths as “horrifying and deeply tragic”.
“What has happened off the coast at Le Portel is a horrifying and deeply tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the loved ones of all those who have lost their lives, and all those who have been seriously injured.
“The gangs behind this appalling and callous trade in human lives have been cramming more and more people on to increasingly unseaworthy dinghies, and sending them out into the Channel even in very poor weather.
“They do not care about anything but the profits they make, and that is why – as well as mourning the awful loss of life – the work to dismantle these dangerous and criminal smuggler gangs and to strengthen border security is so vital and must proceed apace.”
James Cleverly said the deaths in the Channel were “tragic” and cannot continue.
Writing on X, the shadow home secretary said: “This is tragic and it cannot continue. It is not enough to talk about ‘smashing the gangs’ when the real-life consequences are so serious.”
At least 30 migrants have died or gone missing while trying to cross the Channel this year, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
Meanwhile figures show at least 2,109 migrants have tried to make the trip in small boats in the past seven days, according to the latest Home Office data.
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In the Channel, an RNLI lifeboat was taking part in separate operations, transporting suspected migrants into Dover on Tuesday. Pic: PA
Separately on Tuesday, an RNLI lifeboat docked in Dover with suspected migrants on board after being deployed to the English Channel.
It is not currently believed those people were rescued from the incident off the coast of France.
