Four migrants have died after a boat capsized while attempting to cross the Channel, the French coast guard said.
During the night, a navy patrol boat was alerted that migrants had fallen into the sea off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France.
Four people who were found “unconscious” could not be saved, police said, while 63 people were rescued.
According to early information from the Coast Guard, a helicopter and a fishing boat were also deployed in the rescue operation.
More than 13,000 people have already crossed the Channel this year.
On June 18, 882 people crossed the Channel in 15 small boats – a new record for the year so far.
According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, this was the highest number of arrivals in a single day since October 2022.
Figures from the Home Office show that 484 migrants crossed the Channel on Monday and Tuesday.
Earlier this week, the new Labour government unveiled plans to tackle the crisis in the small boat sector.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she would appoint a leader of Britain’s new Border Security Command within weeks.
The government hopes the new body will reduce the number of crossings with small boats in the English Channel.
