Migrant dies and several are rushed to hospital after Channel boat carrying asylum seekers capsizes- sparking late night rescue mission

One person has died and about 50 people have been rescued following an incident involving a small boat in the Channel on Saturday morning, French authorities have said. 

Two British ships and several French vessels have been involved in a search and rescue operation, a statement from France’s Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said.

The statement from France’s Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea added that six people were recovered in a serious condition with one, who was evacuated by helicopter to hospital in Calais, later pronounced dead.

Five people remain in a serious condition in hospital, with French authorities expected to give an update later today.

The RNLI said a lifeboat crew was launched just before 4am. Search efforts are still considering.

Two British ships and several French vessels have been involved in a search and rescue operation (stock image)

The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world (stock image)

Four French vessels were involved in the rescue, named Pluvier, Notre dame du Risban, Abeille Normandie and Cormoran.

A French helicopter was also deployed to the scene, as well as a ship from the RNLI and another British private vessel. 

Many of those rescued were returned to Calais aboard a French boat called Cormoran, MailOnline understands. 

It comes as the government was yesterday forced to take all migrants off the Bibby Stockholm barge after just four days following detection of Legionnaires bacteria in the water supply. 

Home Secretary Suella Braverman will chair a meeting with Border Force officials, it is understood, after French authorities said one person had died in a small boat incident in the Channel.

A UK Government spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of an incident in the Channel. HM Coastguard are working on a co-ordinated response and further information will be provided in due course.’

It is understood Ms Braverman will hold the meeting with Small Boats Operational Command Gold on Saturday morning.

The Boulogne prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the tragedy. 

More than 100,000 people have made the perilous crossing across the English Channel since 2018, figures this week showed.

On Thursday, 755 people were intercepted arriving into the UK, a record figure for the year so far. 

Last year five people died and another four went missing while trying to cross from the north coast of France to England.

In 2021, one of the worst tragedies in recent Channel history occurred after 27 people drowned when their small dinghy sank in the middle of the crossing. 

The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world and its seas can be highly dangerous.

This is a breaking news story and is being updated.