Channel deaths: Braverman urged to quit after migrants die in crossing tragedy
Home secretary ‘has vilified the very people she now feigns sympathy with’, says PCS
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A union has called for home secretary Suella Braverman to resign following the deaths of four migrants in the Channel as their boat sank.
Women and children are reportedly among survivors fighting for their lives in hospital after the dinghy capsized in the English Channel in freezing weather in the early hours. A search-and-rescue mission was launched and 43 other people on board were rescued.
Paul O’Connor, of the PCS union, said: “Suella Braverman says her heartfelt thoughts are with all those involved. Those words ring utterly hollow when she has spent her time as home secretary vilifying and demonising the very people she now feigns sympathy with. She should resign in disgrace.”
Ms Braverman told the Commons there would be new legislation to end criminal gangs, but shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said responses by ministers to people-smuggling and trafficking gangs had been too weak, calling for further action.
Roger Gale, MP for North Thanet in Kent, said: “Some of the survivors are still fighting for their lives [in hospital], and I understand that some of them are women and children.”
Read below for how our live coverage unfolded:
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Three feared dead, local media says
Local media are reporting three people are feared dead after the incident in the English Channel.
Kent Online says around 47 are thought to have entered the water in the early hours of this morning.
What do we know about the rescue mission so far?
A large search and rescue operation has been launched in the Channel following an incident involving a small boat off the coast of Kent.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said HM Coastguard is working with the RNLI, Royal Navy, Border Force, French navy and Kent Police to look for the boat, while an air ambulance has also been sent to the scene.
The BBC reported it is feared there are fatalities but there has been no confirmation from authorities.
South East Coast Ambulance Service said the incident is believed to have occurred at around 3.40am.
Holly Bancroft has the latest:
Major incident underway after small boat gets into difficulties in Channel
Navy, Border Force, Kent Police and coastguard all involved in rescue operation
France sends helicopter and boat for rescue operation
A French helicopter and boat have also been involved in the rescue mission, authorities say:
Statement from HM Coastguard
Here is the statement from the British coastguard:
“We have sent Dover, Dungeness, Hastings and Ramsgate RNLI lifeboats and Deal, Dungeness and Folkestone Coastguard rescue teams, along with the Coastguard area commander.
“HM Coastguard helicopters from Lydd and Lee on Solent and one from the French navy are involved.
“A fishing vessel in the area is also assisting in the rescue. South East Coast Ambulance and Kent Police are working with us.
“HM Coastguard will continue to safeguard life around the seas and coastal areas of the UK, working with search and rescue resources in the area.
“If a vessel needs search and rescue assistance, HM Coastguard will continue to respond to all those in need.”
The spokesperson said the incident was ongoing and it has “no further information”.
Marine traffic map
Here is the marine traffic around the incident this morning - including a RNLI lifeboat:
Coastguard failings in laat year’s Channel migrant drowning disaster
Just over a year ago, a migrant boat capsized in the English Channel. Twenty-seven were killed and five are still missing.
The Independent revealed last month coastguard failings in the run-up to the disaster. A source said an overstretched team at the UK coastguard working up to 20 hours a day made mistakes during the search and rescue response to the mass drowning tragedy.
Read Nicola Kelly’s piece here:
Revealed: Coastguard failings in run up to Channel migrant drowning disaster
Exclusive: Staff worked 20-hour days in build-up to tragedy that killed 27 people, source tells Nicola Kelly
UN’s refugee agency ‘gravely concerned’
The UN refugee agency says it is “gravely concerned”.
It says the small boat had an estimated 30 people on board:
Temperatures hover between -1 and 1C on Kent coast early morning
Temperatures were bitterly cold in on the Kent coast this morning.
The Met Office says it was 1C around 3am and 4am - between which time the incident is believed to have happened - around Langdon Bay and dropped to -1C later in the morning.
Meanwhile sea temperatures were around 11C off the Kent coast, according to a tracker.
Forensic tents at Dover port
Forensic tents have now been erected at the RNLI station at the Port of Dover after the search and rescue mission was launched over a small boat in the Channel.
Three dead and 43 rescued, government says
Three people have died after a small boat incident in the English Channel and 43 people have been rescued, a government source said.
More than 30 of those rescued were pulled from the water, they told PA news agency.
It is understood the number of people confirmed dead so far could be likely to rise.
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