Six migrants who died in Channel tragedy have been Afghan males, French officers reveal: Hunt for 2 nonetheless lacking continues after small boats carrying asylum seekers together with kids to UK capsized

Six Afghans died and two others have been lacking at sea tonight after small boats full of UK-bound migrants together with kids sank within the English Channel.

French prosecutors opened a felony enquiry on Saturday following the newest disasters involving unlawful voyages organised by folks smugglers.

It comes virtually two years to the day since 27 migrants heading for Britain additionally drowned when their flimsy inflatable craft collapsed under them.

Philippe Sabatier, the Boulogne prosecutor, mentioned the newest of two disasters occurred ‘within the early hours, in poor climate and worsening sea situations.

‘Six Afghan males died, and the overwhelming majority of these concerned have been additionally from Afghanistan. They included minors’.

Two British ships and several other French vessels have been concerned within the search

A gaggle of individuals regarded as migrants have been introduced in to Dover, Kent, after six individuals are confirmed to have died when a ship carrying migrants sank within the Channel this morning

The RNLI carry 50 Migrants ashore at Dover Docks this morning that had been rescued mid channel

A flimsy craft with round 66 folks on board was noticed struggling ‘at round 2am’, simply off Sangatte, the Calais seashore.

An emergency was declared, and the French Navy patrol boat Cormoran was the primary vessel to start out rescuing dozens of survivors.

5 Afghan males of their 20s and 30s have been declared useless on the scene, whereas a sixth was airlifted to the French seaside city of Le Touquet earlier than dying in hospital in Calais in a while.

Round ‘two others’ have been nonetheless lacking at sea by late on Saturday afternoon, mentioned Mr Sabatier.

One other small migrant boat sank within the Channel on Saturday, ‘when 22 folks have been saved, together with one ‘in a crucial situation,’ the prosecutor added.

No identities of any of the victims are but recognized, as many have been travelling with out papers.

A complete of 49 survivors have been rescued from the primary boat – 36 by the French, and 13 by the British.

The 4 French vessels concerned within the rescue operations have been the Cormoran, the Pluvier, the Abeille-Normandie and the lifeboat of the Nationwide Sea Rescue Society of Calais, Notre-Dame de Risban.

Two British ships have been additionally in help – the RNLI 1709 lifeboat from Dover, and a personal vessel.

Elisabeth Borne, France’s prime minister, mentioned: ‘This morning, a migrant boat capsized off Calais. My ideas are with the victims. I salute the dedication of the rescue groups mobilized across the Navy, which saved round fifty shipwrecked folks.’

Ms Borne mentioned Herve Berville, France’s Seas Minister, was on his technique to Calais.

Franck Dhersin, the mayor of Teteghem close to Dunkirk, confirmed that ‘useless our bodies have been sadly discovered round Sangatte’.

Some 343 folks in six boats have been detected crossing the Channel on Friday, in line with House Workplace figures.

It means greater than 1,000 made the journey over two days and takes the provisional whole for the yr up to now to greater than 16,000.

Thursday’s figures have been recorded as one other main search and rescue operation was launched after 17 migrants went overboard and have been pulled from the water.

The House Workplace mentioned they have been all taken ashore for medical checks.

Campaigners mentioned the incident underscored the necessity for secure passages into the UK.

Steve Smith, chief government of refugee charity Care4Calais mentioned the incident was an ‘appalling and preventable tragedy.’

‘This horrible lack of life demonstrates but once more the necessity for a system of secure passage to the UK for refugees. This may allow them to use for asylum whereas in France, after which to journey safely to the UK with out risking their lives in small boats.

‘It might put the folks smugglers out of enterprise in a single day,’ he mentioned. 

Two British ships and several other French vessels have been concerned in a search and rescue operation (inventory picture)

The English Channel is among the busiest delivery lanes on the planet (inventory picture)

Enver Solomon, chief government of the Refugee Council, urged the Authorities to deal with creating an ‘orderly and humane asylum system’.

He accused the Authorities of ‘specializing in passing costly and unworkable laws and shutting down present secure methods to get to the UK.’

Head of bargaining on the Public and Industrial Companies union Paul O’Connor mentioned the Authorities had ‘blood on its arms’, branding its strategy a ‘ethical shame’.

‘There’s a available coverage to stop this tragic lack of life,’ he mentioned.

‘Sadly, our calls on the Authorities to undertake it have fallen on stony floor. It is clear they haven’t any want to stop these harmful crossings.’

Shadow dwelling secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned it’s ‘desperately’ essential to cease harmful crossings and ‘the horrible felony smuggling gangs who revenue whereas lives are misplaced’.

Natalie Elphicke, Conservative MP for Dover, mentioned the deadly incident strengthened the necessity for joint patrols within the Channel.

She mentioned: ‘Right this moment’s tragedy underlines why we should cease the small boats to maintain folks secure and stop lack of life within the Channel.

‘These overcrowded and unseaworthy deathtraps ought to clearly be stopped by the French authorities from leaving the French coast within the first place.

‘The time has come for joint patrols on the French coast and a cross-Channel safety zone earlier than any extra lives are misplaced.’

It comes after the Authorities got here beneath fireplace on Friday following the removing asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm barge because of the discovery of Legionella micro organism within the water provide.

The vessel had been billed as a substitute for housing migrants in costly motels however all 39 on board have now been positioned in various lodging whereas well being checks are carried out.

Senior Conservative MP David Davis mentioned the disembarkment revealed the ‘startling incompetence’ of the House Workplace whereas fellow Tory backbencher Tim Loughton mentioned it was an ’embarassment.’

The House Workplace has mentioned the well being and welfare of asylum seekers ‘stays an utmost precedence’ and that the evacuation was a precautionary measure, with nobody on board having fallen sick.

An inflatable dinghy with 29 folks on board collapsed on November 24 2021, and the 27 who died have been later recognized as 16 Kurds from Iraqi Kurdistan, 4 Afghans, and 5 different nationalities.

French emergency employees in a phone centre have been later blamed for failing to reply their misery calls correctly, however the folks smugglers liable for organising the boat have by no means been delivered to justice.

There have been 755 folks recorded as crossing the Channel in small boats on Thursday – the best day by day quantity up to now this yr.

Since present information started in January 1 2018, 100,715 migrants have arrived within the UK after making the journey.

Final yr 5 folks died and one other 4 went lacking whereas attempting to cross from the north coast of France to England.

In 2021, one of many worst tragedies in current Channel historical past occurred after 27 folks drowned when their small dinghy sank in the course of the crossing. 

The English Channel is among the busiest delivery routes on the planet and its seas will be extremely harmful.

This can be a breaking news story and is being up to date.