Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

6 dead, more than 50 rescued from capsized migrant boat in the English Channel

Share
LONDON -

Six people died and more than 50 were rescued when a boat carrying migrants capsized Saturday in the English Channel, according to French authorities.

The Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea initially reported that six of those rescued were in critical condition. One individual later died after being transported by helicopter to a Calais hospital, and an update confirmed the deaths of five others who were ferried to shore by boat.

"This morning, a migrant boat capsized off Calais," French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on social media. "My thoughts are with the victims."

The deaths come as Britain's ruling conservative party has sought to stop crossings of small, often unseaworthy, boats with a variety of policies that have come under fire for failing to stem the flow of migrants.

French authorities noted a marked increase in attempted crossings from the coast since Thursday during the onset of milder weather. British authorities said 755 people crossed the channel in small boats Thursday, the highest daily number this year.

Small boat arrivals are down 15 per cent from the number at this point last year. As of Thursday, 15,826 had been detected in the year to date, compared to 18,600 at this time last year.

Last year, five migrants died and four were reported missing while attempting to cross from the northern coast of France. In November 2021, a boat carrying migrants sank, resulting in the deaths of 27 individuals.

The search and rescue operation Saturday involved both British and French vessels, triggered by a report from a patrol boat about a migrant vessel in distress near Sangatte. Three French ships, a helicopter, and a plane canvassed the area and two British ships participated in the search.

French boats rescued 37 people, a British boat from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution saved a dozen and three others were picked up by a British chartered boat.

Borne also mentioned that Sea Minister Herve Berville was headed to the site to assist with the situation.

U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who tweeted that it had been "tragic loss of life," later met with Border Force officials.

The incident is under investigation by the Boulogne prosecutor's office.

------

Adamson reported from Paris.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Toronto police say they are searching for a suspect who allegedly shot and killed his brother in an argument at a Scarborough housing complex late Saturday night.

An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.