- Up to six small boats are said to have made it into UK waters despite bad weather
Three migrants have died trying to cross the English Channel after their boat got into difficulty.
The asylum seekers were pronounced dead after falling into the water off the coast of Cap Gris-Nez, northern France this afternoon.
Patrick Leleu, deputy prosecutor at the Judicial court of Boulogne-sur-Mer, said: ‘I can confirm the death of three migrants who fell into the water this afternoon off the coast of Cap Gris Nez. The investigation is ongoing.’
It comes as dozens of migrants made the treacherous crossing to the UK today in strong winds and also thick fog.
The last fatalities in the Channel happened on January 14 when five migrants died while trying to make the treacherous journey across the 21-mile Dover Straits.
Three bodies have reportedly been pulled from the English Channel today. Pictured: A Border Force Defender escort in Dover
![Dozens of migrants have been brought ashore today at the Port of Dover - after battling thick fog to get across the Channel](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/28/16/81827955-13136797-Dozens_of_migrants_have_been_brought_ashore_today_at_the_Port_of-a-30_1709139021461.jpg)
Dozens of migrants have been brought ashore today at the Port of Dover – after battling thick fog to get across the Channel
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.’
A search and rescue operation is now underway from both UK and French authorities, with reports that a fourth body has been spotted floating in the sea in French waters.
It comes after bad weather sweeped back into the Channel and smugglers took advantage of a small weather window to push out multiple migrant boats from French shores, GB News reports.
Up to six small boats are believed to have made it into UK waters today and more than 300 migrants were taken to the Border Force processing centre at Dover harbour.
This would make it the biggest single-day arrival of small boat migrants in the month of February since 2018.
Earlier today, it was revealed that dozens of migrants were brought ashore today at the Port of Dover after battling thick fog to get across the Channel.
The mainly-male group of around 50 asylum seekers arrived despite poor conditions including strong winds in the Dover Straits – and they were brought into the harbour in Dover by a Border Force catamaran around Midday.
![The mainly-male group of around 50 asylum seekers arrived despite poor conditions including strong winds in the Dover Straits](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/28/16/81827951-13136797-The_mainly_male_group_of_around_50_asylum_seekers_arrived_despit-a-31_1709139027889.jpg)
The mainly-male group of around 50 asylum seekers arrived despite poor conditions including strong winds in the Dover Straits
![The latest crossings take the provisional total number of arrivals in 2024 so far to 2,006](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/28/16/81729299-13136797-The_latest_crossings_take_the_provisional_total_number_of_arriva-a-32_1709139032394.jpg)
The latest crossings take the provisional total number of arrivals in 2024 so far to 2,006
Upon arrival, the migrants were spotted at the former jetfoil terminal wearing bright orange life jackets as they went inside for processing.
The latest arrivals come as Number 10 insisted they were taking ‘robust action’ to crack down on people-smuggling gangs, deter migrants from making crossings and intercept vessels.
February 25 saw 290 migrants make the perilous journey in five vessels – an average of 58 people crammed into each inflatable dinghy.
This is the highest number of people making the crossing in a single day for more than a month, after 358 people were recorded on January 17.
That now means a total of 2,006 asylum seekers have been recorded crossing the Channel in 43 boats to date in 2024, according to official government figures.
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