The number of migrants killed in a tragedy in the English Channel on Wednesday has risen to four, according to the French authorities.
It comes as GB News confirms the total number of small boat migrants who have made the illegal crossing so far this year has risen above 30,000.
French emergency services responded to reports of dozens of migrants in difficulty this morning in the waters off Haderlot beach, between Boulogne and Calais.
It is understood the migrants had been trying to reach a small boat waiting offshore.
At least 70 migrants were rescued, including five people who were suffering from severe hypothermia.
The female migrant died on Wednesday morning in the waters off Haderlot beach, between Boulogne and Calais
The French coastguard said that the migrant was unconscious and in cardiac arrest. They died at the scene, despite efforts to resuscitate them.
This afternoon, authorities confirmed a further two bodies had been found along the shoreline a few hundred meters from this morning’s tragedy.
As rescue operations were taking place, hundreds of other migrants reached UK waters, taking the numbers crossing so far this year to more than 30,000.
GB News can confirm that so far on Wednesday, close to 500 migrants have been taken to the Border Force processing centre at Dover harbour, after arriving in UK waters.
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The French coastguard said that a woman was unconscious and in cardiac arrest
By lunchtime, this channel's Kent producer confirmed multiple boats were in French waters, attempting to make it to the UK.
Today's 475 arrivals, take the total Channel migrant numbers for the year so far to more than 30,350.
That milestone figure was reach less than a week after the numbers crossing from France this year overtook the total number of Channel migrants for the whole of 2023.
As that rescue was taking place, hundreds of other migrants reached UK waters, taking the numbers crossing so far this year to more than 30,000
Maritime security sources have told GB News that on current trends, the UK was "on course to see well over 35,000 Channel migrant arrivals, perhaps as many as 40,000 by year's end."
Responding to the latest crossings, 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. "We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.”
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