Some 13 migrants have died after their boat ripped apart trying to cross the English Channel, a French mayor has said.
Olivier Barbarin, chief of French coastal town Le Portel, near Boulogne-sur-Mer where casualties are being treated, said: “Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open ... It’s a big drama.”
The French coast guard has said a rescue operation helped more than 50 migrants after their boat sank on Tuesday morning off the coast of Cap Gris-Nez.
It said all of the people on board the dinghy ended up in the water and several of the migrants need emergency medical care.
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A spokesperson for the coast guard said the operation is ongoing with a number of helicopters and boats, including from the French navy, assisting in the rescue efforts.
The incident comes as more migrants arrived in Dover, England, on Tuesday after crossing the English Channel.
Pictures show men, women and children coming ashore from Dungeness lifeboat and UK border force vessels.
Earlier, a French coast guard spokesperson said 10 people were in a critical condition.
The British coast guard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tackling illegal immigration has been a priority for both the British and French governments. More than 2,000 people have arrived in Britain on small boats over the past seven days, according to UK government figures.
Last week, French president Emmanuel Macron and British prime minister Keir Starmer pledged to work closer together to dismantle migrant smuggling routes.
The Channel is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and currents are strong, making the crossing on small boats dangerous. In August, two people were found dead after a boat carrying migrants trying to cross the Channel ran into difficulties. – PA/Reuters
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