Two dead in English Channel tragedy after migrant boat sinks

Two people have died after a migrant boat sank in the English Channel on Wednesday morning, French maritime authorities have said. Around 50 people are believed to have been on board when the migrant boat sank shortly after 8am, with dozens of people ending up in the water.

The French maritime prefecture for the Channel and the North Sea said another 46 migrants were rescued after the incident off the coast of Sangatte, near Calais.

French authorities said the overcrowded boat hit trouble on the English Channel, around 2km from the shoreline. The rescue operation was launched after the French officials spotted a life jacket floating in the water.

The two victims were provided with first aid after being rescued but were pronounced dead by medics when taken ashore in Calais.

Both French and British rescue services are involved in the rescue operation, as searches continue for any missing people.

The UK Border Force also confirmed it "is actively engaged in a search and rescue operation".

Ferries between Dover and Calais are disrupted - with P&O, DFDS and Irish Ferries warning of long delays of up to two hours this morning due to the ongoing rescue operations.

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

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