Child aged 10 and two women crushed to death on board migrant 'mega-dinghy' trying to reach UK
At least three migrants making their way to the UK across the English Channel died today after being 'crushed to death' on board an overloaded 'mega dinghy'.
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A French official has said the bodies of the deceased were found inside the dinghy and not in the water.
François-Xavier Lauch, prefect of the Pas-de-Calais département, said the child and two women had been crushed to death under the weight of other migrants in the boat.
“The deaths are not due to drowning but probably to the victims being crushed,” he said.
A local radio station said there had been a 'panic' on board the boat and victims were trampled underfoot.
"If there are deaths, it is because there are people exploiting this wish to cross [the Channel] for money," Mr Lauch added.
A spokesman for French authorities said that there was a "provisional total of three deaths and many more injured."
A total of 105 people were on board the heavily laden craft.
The Pas-de-Calais prefecture announced that "a shipwreck involving a taxi-boat occurred off the coast of Wissant. The situation is still being assessed."
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The survivors were transported to the port of Calais, where they were being helped by members of the emergency services.
At least 24 people, including women and children, have died in the Channel so far this year as they tried to get to Britain.
The worst tragedy of this kind happened in November 2021, when 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while heading to the UK. It was the highest recorded number of deaths from a single incident.
Some 18,609 people have successfully made the journey so far this year, Home Office figures show.
This is down 42% on this time last year (32,188), and 26% below the figure at this stage in 2024 (25,165).
More than 700 people arrived in the UK on Wednesday – the highest number for a single day so far this year.
Last week also saw two uncontrolled landings, where migrant boats arriving on UK shores without being intercepted by authorities. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood ordered an urgent review by the Border Security Command.