Three people found dead on small boat in Channel crossing attempt

Three women found off coast of Dunkirk and man killed in separate incident near Dannes, after attempting to reach UK

Four people have died while trying to reach the UK in small boats after one of the busiest days for Channel crossings this year.

Three women were found dead on a boat off the coast of Dunkirk on Thursday morning, the French coastguard said. A man also died when his dinghy got into difficulty in a separate incident off the coast of Dannes.

The women’s boat was spotted at about 6am. They were brought ashore after the French emergency services, including firefighters, police and paramedics, mounted a rescue.

Attempts to resuscitate them failed and all three were declared dead. They were reported to be aged about 20, 30 and 50. Their nationalities are not yet known.

On Wednesday Andy Burnham, the British prime minister, insisted the government’s plan to curb Channel crossings was working, although he admitted there was “more to do”.

Wednesday was one of the busiest days for crossings this year, with about 700 people crossing the Channel amid hot, sunny weather and calm conditions at sea. On 15 June, 710 people made the crossing.

This week French police were recorded saying they had orders not to stop people getting into their boats and setting off for the UK.

One told Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, as he stood on Hardelot beach, south of Boulogne-sur-Mer: “Our order is to let them go. We just have to say to them: ‘Don’t do that. It’s dangerous.’”

Last week a large dinghy carrying 165 people crossed the Channel, setting a new record for the number of arrivals on a single small boat.

It reflects efforts by people-smuggling gangs to cram more asylum seekers on to each boat to maximise profits, leading to an increased risk of deaths by drowning and being crushed.

The average number of people in each small boat has risen from seven in 2018 to 63 in the year to March, and 70 in the past month.

More than 900 people have crossed the Channel in the past week as people smugglers take advantage of a calm sea. A total of 13,376 migrants have crossed this year, down from 24,389 at the same point last year.

A government spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened to hear about these deaths. Every death in the Channel is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people for profit.

“We will continue working relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys.”

The French authorities are leading the response and investigation into the incident.