Tragedy as three die after migrant boat with 50 people onboard sinks in the English Channel

THREE people have died and a fourth injured after a migrant boat "with 50 on board" sank in the Channel.

The tragedy unfolded this morning off the coast of Sangatte, close to Calais, when around 50 migrants fell into the water shortly after 8am.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics to revive three unconscious people, they were pronounced dead in Calais.

The rescue operation was sparked after a life jacket was spotted in the water by a passenger ferry earlier today.

French maritime prefecture authorities for the Channel and the North Sea confirmed at least 46 people have been rescued so far.

A statement from the French Coastguard added: "During the search operations off the coast of Calais this morning, a passenger ferry-type ship spotted and recovered a man overboard.

"The unconscious victim was evacuated by air in the morning. It was the French Navy's public service Dauphin helicopter based in Le Touquet that ensured his transfer to the hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer."

"The man was pronounced dead after medical teams were unable to revive them."

The search for others is still ongoing in the water.

Dover-Calais cross Channel services have been experiencing delays of up to two hours due to the ongoing rescue operation in Calais Port.

A French naval rescue helicopter and two ships have been called in as part of the mission.

British authorities also appear to be helping in the ongoing operations, with an RNLI lifeboat and Border Force vessel Defender in the Channel.

Management at the Port of Calais told French Media: "Cross-Channel traffic is currently interrupted due to operations to rescue people who have fallen into the water in the channel."

The public prosecutor's office in nearby Boulogne-sur-Mer has launched a probe into the incident.

It comes after another Channel tragedy earlier this month on October 5.

A toddler was “trampled” to death and three adults died when overcrowded dinghies tried to cross.

The two-year-old child was found on a small boat with nearly 90 migrants reportedly crammed onto it, French authorities said.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said: "Our government will intensify the fight against these mafias who are getting rich by organising these crossings of death."

In April, a criminal enquiry was also launched following the deaths of five migrants including a little girl around Wimereux.

Five migrants also drowned while trying to get to Britain from Wimereux beach on January 14.

The furious Mayor of Wimereux has frequently argued that such tragedies are all the fault of the British.

Jean-Luc Dubaele said in April: "It is Britain that is responsible for the boats setting off across the English Channel and the deaths that occur in the sea.

"The English pay us to stop the boats setting off but they look after the migrants when they arrive on their shores.

"The English give them accommodation, food, a bank account, and let them work without regulation.";

The worst tradgedy of this kind came in November 2021, when 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while heading to the UK –  the highest recorded number of deaths from a single incident.

Last year, there were 67,337 asylum applications to the UK, and 29,437 of them came from people who arrived in small boats.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron pledged this summer to "strengthen cooperation" to fight the people smugglers.