Ten women and girls among the twelve dead after a migrant boat sank in the English Channel

At least twelve people – including ten women and girls – were killed when a boat carrying dozens of migrants was torn apart in the English Channel, a mayor said.

Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel, a French coastal town that was involved in a rescue operation, said “the bottom of the boat was ripped open.”

According to the French Coast Guard, more than 65 people were rescued when a ship got into distress at sea on Tuesday morning.

Local authorities said several people required emergency treatment and a makeshift medical facility had been set up in the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, about 45 kilometers southwest of Calais.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters that 12 people had died, 10 of them women and girls.

He also said that only eight of the 70 people on the boat had life jackets.

A spokesman for the French maritime prefecture said helicopters and boats were being used to search for survivors.

The resources deployed included helicopters and vessels from the French Customs and Navy, as well as boats from the SNSM, the French equivalent of the RNLI.

Another media channel, France 3, had initially said: “At least 100 Migrants” were on board at 11.30am (10.30am UK time).

Earlier, Mr Darmanin had described the incident on X as “terrible”, adding that “all state resources [have been] mobilized to find the missing and care for the victims.”

The boat is scheduled to be launched in Le Portel.

British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the deaths as “appalling and deeply tragic”.

“What happened off the coast of Le Portel is a terrible and deeply tragic incident and our condolences go out to the families of all those who lost their lives and all those who were seriously injured.

“The gangs behind this horrific and ruthless human trafficking are cramming more and more people onto increasingly unseaworthy dinghies and sending them out into the canal even in bad weather.

“They only care about the profits they make. That is why – in addition to mourning the terrible loss of life – we must so urgently advance the work of dismantling these dangerous and criminal smuggling gangs and strengthening border security.”

James Cleverly said the deaths in the canal were “tragic” and that things could not continue.

In an article on X, the Shadow Home Secretary wrote: “This is tragic and things cannot continue like this. It is not enough to talk about breaking up the gangs when the real-life consequences are so severe.”

According to the International Organization for Migration, at least 30 migrants have died or disappeared while trying to cross the Channel this year.

Meanwhile, Interior Ministry figures show that at least 2,109 migrants have attempted the crossing in small boats in the past seven days.

Separately, a Royal Navy lifeboat (RNLI) with suspected migrants on board docked in Dover on Tuesday after being dispatched to the English Channel.

It is currently not believed that these people were rescued in the incident off the coast of France.

(c) Sky News 2024: Ten women and girls among the twelve dead after a migrant boat sank in the English Channel