Twelve migrants die after dinghy sinks in English Channel

Ten of the victims were female and from Eritrea, including a pregnant woman and six children

At least 12 migrants have died after their dinghy “ripped open” and sank as they tried to cross the Channel, according to French officials.
Ten of the 12 were female and from Eritrea, including a pregnant woman and six children. 
Fifty-one migrants were rescued after the boat got into trouble off the coast of Ambleteuse, north of Bolougne-sur-Mer, at around 7.30am on Tuesday.
Local authorities said several people needed emergency treatment and a temporary medical post had been set up at the port at Boulogne-sur-Mer, around 28 miles south-west of Calais.
Olivier Barbarin, the mayor of Le Portel, a French coastal town involved in the rescue operation, said the boat capsized on Tuesday with more than 60 people on board after “the bottom ripped open”.  It had set off in rough seas, with a 17-knot wind.
“The boat capsized with just over 60 people on board. The hull gave way because of the large number of people, and they all fell into the water. There were very few ships around,” he said.
A state-chartered vessel, the Minck, spotted the boat in difficulty and went to its rescue as soon as it broke up. The Abeille Normandie, a French Navy tug, two patrol boats, two lifeboats and two fishing boats went to help rescue victims.
Rescue helicopters were also sent to the scene, and the beach at the hoverport was closed to allow helicopters to land. Police, firefighters and emergency services also joined the rescue operation.
Gerald Darmanin, the French interior minister, said: “All government services are mobilised to find the missing and to take care of the victims. I’m on my way to see the elected representatives and the emergency services.”
Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said: “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.
“I am in touch with my counterpart in France, Gerald Darmanin, and am being kept updated on the situation.
“We pay tribute to the French coastguard and emergency services who undoubtedly saved many lives, but sadly could not save everyone. We will await the results of the French investigation into how this particular incident unfolded.”
James Cleverly, the shadow home secretary, tweeted: “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.
“Labour must re-establish the deterrent that the National Crime Agency said we need to stop vulnerable people being exploited and secure our border.”
The latest deaths mean at least 37 people have died in Channel crossings so far this year, compared with 12 for the whole of last year. 
In November 2021, 27 people died in the single worst incident when an inflatable dinghy with 30 on board capsized.
More than 21,000 migrants have crossed the Channel so far this year, almost the same as last year’s total but some 28 per cent lower than the record year of 2022.
The capsizing on Tuesday followed near-misses in the past week, during which boats have set off despite poor weather conditions. 
People smugglers are cramming more people into dinghies as supplies of boats and equipment have been limited by crackdowns by border agencies and law enforcement. The average number of migrants per boat is now around 60 – triple the rate when the first dinghies started crossing in 2018.
Dame Angela Eagle, the border security minister, said there was a “worrying trend” that boats were being filled with more people than in the past. She said the quality of boats was also “deteriorating”, which meant crossings “are getting more and more dangerous as time goes on”.
The attempted crossings came despite a yellow weather warning being issued by the Met Office earlier on Tuesday. The Home Office said 351 migrants had successfully made the crossing aboard six dinghies on Monday despite difficult, choppy conditions.