Four migrants have died in the English Channel after their boat capsized in the early hours of this morning, the French coastguard has said.
The boat capsized off the northern French coast near Boulogne-sur-Mer, where several people were also reported as being in the water at around 4.30am.
According to the French coastguard, 63 migrants were rescued in an operation involving four ships and one helicopter, including a fishing vessel which picked up 14 of the people who got into trouble.
A further four people were taken by a medical team but could not be saved, the maritime prefecture added.
The surviving group of people were returned to Boulogne and attended to by emergency services.
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the incident was "truly awful."
"Criminal gangs are making vast profit from putting lives at risk. We are accelerating action with international partners to pursue and bring down dangerous smuggler gangs."
Latest UK Home Office figures show 419 people made the journey across the Channel from France to the UK in six boats on Tuesday, suggesting an average of around 70 people per boat and taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 14,058.
The reports come as five people including a child died trying to cross the English Channel from France to the UK on 23 April.
Ms Cooper has launched a Border Security Command designed to crack down on people-smuggling gangs orchestrating the crossings.
A commander for the unit is expected to be appointed in the coming weeks.
Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon said this morning's loss of life in the Channel highlights "the scale of the challenge" facing the new Government and called for safe routes to be opened to stop people taking "deadly risks".
Mr Solomon also urged for cooperation agreements to be put in place with European countries to provide safe passage from France and trial the use of refugee visas.
"Preventing more deaths in the Channel which are now happening too often is a critical and urgent task," he said.
"We need to bring an end to men, women and children who have fled war and oppression in countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Iran being driven into the arms of the smuggling gangs by opening safe routes so refugees wanting to be with their families are not forced to take deadly risks.
"At the same time, there is much more the UK can do to address conflict and oppression in refugee producing countries.
"There are no quick fixes but over time, with the right combination of policies, it is possible to stop these tragic deaths. We stand ready to support our new Government in this."
