Migrant drowns in the Channel after 'overloaded' boat carrying 40 people sinks sparking huge rescue operation

A migrant has died after being airlifted to hospital as part of a huge air and sea rescue operation in the Channel today.

Rescue crews launched the rescue after a boat carrying around 40 people began taking on water as it headed to the UK from France this morning. 

French prosecutors have launched a manslaughter investigation following the man's death. 

This morning French coastguard officers were informed that ‘a number of migrant boats were in difficulty,’ said a border force source in France.

‘The Elena cargo ship reported as many 40 migrants in the sea, 13 nautical miles off Dunkirk.

‘They were all on a flimsy boat that was thought to have been provided by people smugglers, before it sank.

‘A search and rescue operation was launched, and it included the fishing vessels Nicolas Jérémy and Notre Dame de Boulogne, as well as a fast rescue boat from the Elena.’

French Army and Belgian Airforce helicopters were also scrambled, along with the French Navy ship Flamant.

‘The French helicopter NH90 hoisted a number of men onboard, as did the other vessels involved,’ said the source.

‘One of the men was unconscious when he was transferred to the Flamant, and so he was rushed to hospital in Calais by helicopter, but he did not survive.’

The Dunkirk prosecutor's office was informed and opened an investigation for manslaughter, endangering the lives of others, and people smuggling.

There was no initial information about the identity or nationality of the man who died.

By mid-afternoon on Thursday a full-scale rescue operation was ‘ongoing, and there may be more casualties,’ said a spokesman for the Channel Maritime Prefecture.

Illega crossing by small boats have multiplied this year, as people smugglers charge the equivalent of around £1,500 for a single crossing.  

A group of around 12 migrants were also seen crammed on to a small boat in the Channel on Wednesday (Pictured: The group were rescued off the French coast yesterday)

A group of around 20 male migrants landed at the beach near to the Upmarket Hythe Imperial Hotel today

Police outside the Hythe Imperial Hotel in Hythe, near Folkestone in Kent today after a group of migrants landed nearby

It comes after an RNLI lifeboat carrying around 20 migrants was also seen in Dover harbour today, waiting to dock just before 2pm. 

Police were also seen speaking to a group of around 12 migrants at the Hythe Imperial Hotel in Kent earlier today. 

Meanwhile, a group of around 12 migrants were also seen crammed on to a small boat in the Channel off the French coast on Wednesday. They were rescued by the French coastguard. 

The migrants seen arriving in Dover today could be seen in a line at the edge of the boat. All were wearing face masks.

Border Force patrol boat, Vigilant, pulled off from Dover Port at just after 2pm today at which point the orange RNLI lifeboat docked in its place.

Crew from the RNLI could be seen tying the boat up with the help of Border Force officers stationed on the dockside.

Meanwhile Border Force were seen escorting a group of around 20 migrants off the vessel, BF Hurricane, which is also docked at the port.

Immigration enforcement officials were later seen escorting migrants off the ship,

Women and children were directed off the vessel first. Border Force officials were seen carrying a small boy of about four years of age, wearing a blue parka-style coat and jeans, off the ship.

None of the migrants appeared to be wearing life jackets, but all were wearing light blue surgical masks over their mouths.

There have also been multiple reports of a small boat carrying a dozen migrants landing on a beach in Hythe, Kent.

Local residents reported seeing a boat landing at around midday today and a heavy police presence in the area afterwards. 

It comes as over 100 migrants were rescued by French authorities in four boats after getting into trouble while trying to cross the channel to Britain in strong winds on Wednesday.

Two small boats, carrying a total of 64 migrants were spotted in difficulty off the coat of Dunkirk.

Fishermen sailing off the French port reported the first of the inflatable boats, carrying 29 migrants, in trouble yesterday morning.

Members of the coast guard sailed out to meet the boat, where they found one migrant among the group who had been taken ill.

They rescued the 29 migrants from the boat and a helicopter was scrambled from the seaside town of Le Touquet in the Pas-de-Calais region to evacuate the ill migrant.

The migrant was rushed by helicopter to Dunkirk Hospital, while the remaining 28 migrants were taken to the Port Dunkirk by the coastguard, where they were met by emergency services and Border Force officers.

All 35 migrants on the second small boat were rescued by the coastguard and brought to safety at Dunkirk Port.

A group of migrants were also seen in difficulty off the coast of Sangatte on Wednesday morning.

The French coastguard attended the scene and escorted the seven migrants and their boat safety back to Dunkirk, where they were met by emergency services and Border Force officers.

The coastguard were also called to a small boat carrying migrants in trouble off the coast of Calais.

There have also been multiple reports of a small boat carrying a dozen migrants landing on a beach in Hythe, Kent. Local residents reported seeing a boat landing at around midday today and a heavy police presence in the area afterwards. Pictured: Police speak to a group of migrants near the Hythe Imperial Hotel today

There have also been multiple reports of a small boat carrying a dozen migrants landing on a beach in Hythe, Kent. Pictured: Sunseekers and holidaymakers enjoy the nice weather at Hythe beach today

They attended the scene and took on board the 37 migrants, before taking them back to France.

Border Force officials and members of the emergency services met the migrants at Calais Port.

The Prefecture Maritime de la Manche said: 'All the migrants are safe thanks to the teams working daily to save lives: the navy, the coastguard and other boat users.

'We want to warn migrants who intend to cross the Channel that it's one of the busiest stretches of water in the world, where the weather conditions are often difficult and therefore pose a risk to life.'

It is understood another two boats tried the crossing today but conditions are said to be choppy at sea. It is understood they were escorted back to Calais.

Following days of bad weather in the Dover Strait, lighter conditions on Thursday have seen a flurry of crossing attempts. 

The dangerous sea journey from France - made by more than 10,000 people including children so far in 2021 - has claimed many lives in the past.

Among them were Rasoul Iran-Nejad and his wife Shiva Mohammad Panahi, who died along with their three children when their boat capsized on October 27, 2020.

Their 15-month-old son Artin was reported missing following the tragedy and it was not until June this year that police confirmed a body found on the Norwegian coast was that of the young boy.