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Migrants are feared dead in the Channel after a small boat got into difficulties in French waters.
A UK government spokesperson said: “We can confirm there has been an incident in the Channel involving a small boat in French waters.
“French authorities are leading the response and investigation. We will not be commenting further at this stage.”
An official of the local French coast guard has said that there was a safety incident involving a small boat with migrants on board, but they have declined to comment on potential casualities.
It has been reported that three migrants have died in the incident off the coast of Cap Gris-Nez, northern France, this afternoon.
It comes after a record 290 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats on Sunday – the highest recorded number for a single day in February.
The last fatalities in the Channel happened on 14 January when five migrants died after an urgent rescue mission was launched to help around 70 people in difficulty.
This is a breaking story and will be updated…