Six people are now confirmed to have died after a boat carrying migrants sank in the English Channel on Saturday morning.

Originally it was reported there had been just one fatality with another six in critical condition after a boat carrying migrants across the English Channel sank this morning.

However, a statement from France’s Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea has now confirmed six fatalities following the incident.

Migrant boat sinks crossing the English Channel

Early on Saturday morning (August 12), information was received from a patrol boat that a migrant boat was sinking off Sangatte, an earlier statement from France’s Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said.

Two British ships and several French vessels were involved in a search and rescue operation which saw 50 people saved. 

Bournemouth Echo: The RNLI said a Dover-based volunteer lifeboat crew launched just before 4am to respond to the incident.The RNLI said a Dover-based volunteer lifeboat crew launched just before 4am to respond to the incident. (Image: PA)

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident in the Channel. HM Coastguard are working on a co-ordinated response and further information will be provided in due course.”

This incident follows 17 more individuals being rescued from the English Channel this week after falling into the water from a small migrant boat. 

It came amid 755 people crossing the Channel in 14 boats on Thursday, August 10 - the highest number in a single day so far in 2023.

It is believed this took the number of people who have crossed the English Channel in the last five-and-a-half years to around 100,000.