An attempt to cross the English Channel in a small boat resulted in the death of one person

A man died on Sunday morning after a boat carrying migrants sank while trying to cross the English Channel.

French officials say the man – an Indian citizen in his 40s – suffered a cardiac arrest and emergency services were unable to revive him.

French authorities said the boat deflated shortly after leaving the coast at Tardinghen, near Calais, and those on board swam back to shore.

It was the third fatal sinking in the last 10 days in what is already the deadliest year on record for Channel crossings.

On Wednesday, three people died when a small boat carrying dozens of migrants exploded on its way to Britain sank in the English Channel. As a result of the rescue operation off the coast of France, 45 people were rescued.

Earlier, a four-month-old baby died when a boat with migrants was overloaded sank on the evening of October 18. Rescuers saved 65 other people.

According to the French coast guard, more than 100 people have been rescued from endangered migrant boats since Thursday.

On Sunday morning, police and gendarmes stopped several attempts to cross the English Channel, including in Equihen-Plage, Calais and Sangatte, according to French authorities.

Authorities say the number of attempts to cross the border has increased in recent days due to favorable weather conditions.

New British government figures show how many migrants have arrived on small boats so far this year has already exceeded the 2023 total.

As of Friday, there were 29,578 arrivals in 2024 compared to 29,437 in all of 2023. Last year’s total arrivals were lower than the record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.

The Ministry of Interior has pledged “to stop at nothing” to dismantle people-smuggling gangs that organize crossings in small boats.

A spokesman said: “Our new Border Security Command will strengthen our global partnership and enhance our efforts to investigate, arrest and prosecute these vile criminals.”

BBC Undercover Investigation published on Friday exposed a ring of people smugglers in Germany offering a Channel crossing ‘package’ for €15,000 (£12,500).

The package included an inflatable dinghy with an outboard motor and 60 life jackets. The smugglers said they stored the boats in multiple secret warehouses to hide them from German police.

Data compiled by the United Nations shows that this year has already been the deadliest for migrant crossings across the English Channel.

The latest sinking means that at least 57 people will have died attempting this journey in 2024.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the charity Refugee Council, said it was “vital” that the government did “everything possible” to ensure refugees no longer had to put their lives at risk.

He added: “We must not forget that those making the perilous journey across the English Channel are desperate men, women and children fleeing persecution and war in countries such as Afghanistan and Sudan, simply seeking safety and a future free from fear.”