Two migrants have died attempting to cross the English Channel to the UK, with a major rescue operation underway in northern France, French media reports.
The emergency response began at around 6.15am on a beach in Sangatte, near Calais.
Authorities have warned the death toll could rise as investigations continue at the scene.
A large-scale rescue operation is taking place at the Tom Souville base, with firefighters and law enforcement officers deployed in significant numbers.
A French Navy helicopter has joined the rescue mission near Calais, with emergency workers positioned opposite the Fort Lapin campsite in the coastal commune.
Around 50 migrants have been taken into the care of French humanitarian organisation Utopia 56 following the incident.
GB news can confirm that several boats did launch successfully and dozens of illegal migrants have now arrived in Dover for the fifth day running.
Ten people are being treated by firefighters for severe hypothermia, according to BFM TV.
The rescue efforts come amid a series of recent Channel crossings, with migrants making the perilous journey on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and December 27 – marking the first time small boats have crossed on all these dates since 2018.
Official figures show 305 people arrived in the UK via small boat on Friday, bringing the week’s total crossings to 1,163.
The 407 arrivals on Boxing Day marked a significant milestone, as more than 150,000 people have now made the crossing from France since records began in January 2018.
Home Office figures reveal 36,204 people have arrived since the start of 2024, marking a 23 per cent increase from the same period last year, though down 21 per cent from 2022.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.
“The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay.”
The spokesperson added: “We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.”
