A man has died after a boat loaded with migrants deflated in the English Channel this morning, French authorities have announced.
The man, of Indian nationality and aged about 40 years, was in a boat that departed from the town of Tardinghen in northern France at 5.30am, the Pas-de-Calais prefecture announced.
The authorities added that the boat quickly deflated, prompting those on board to swim back to the shore.
Emergency services attempted to assist the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Channel in small boats than over the whole of 2023, according to Government figures published yesterday.
Some 29,578 migrants have made the journey since January, up on last year’s annual total of 29,437.
This is 12% higher than the 26,501 recorded last year but 22% lower than the 38,129 people making the journey at this stage in 2022.
According to provisional Home Office data, some 424 people in seven boats arrived on Friday.
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