Four people died after a migrant boat capsized in the English Channel early yesterday, it has been confirmed. The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his “sorrow” at the “capsizing of a small boat”, telling MPs there had been a “tragic loss of human life”.
A spokesman for a French charity said it was sent a voice message in the early hours of the morning from migrants in a waterlogged boat begging for help, and that babies could be heard screaming in the background. The Royal Navy, French navy, Coastguard and RNLI lifeboats were all involved in a major rescue operation off the Kent coast on Wednesday morning. RNLI lifeboats were launched from Dover at 3.07am, followed by more from Ramsgate and Hastings.
A Government spokesman said: “At 0305 today, authorities were alerted to an incident in the Channel concerning a migrant small boat in distress. After a co-ordinated search and rescue operation led by HM Coastguard, it is with regret that there have been four confirmed deaths as a result of this incident. Investigations are ongoing and we will provide further information in due course. This is a truly tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the friends and families of all those who have lost their lives today.”
