Five migrants die during attempt to cross Channel, French police say
Five migrants have died during an attempt to cross the English Channel, French police have said.
A child was among the bodies discovered at the Wimereux beach in northern France on Tuesday, reports said.
The French coastguard confirmed there was a failed attempt to cross the Channel and police were operating at a beach following the incident.
Latest updates on Channel migrant rescue – Politics Hub
The spokesperson said there were several “lifeless bodies” after the tragedy, which occurred during a crowd panic, but was unable to confirm how many boats and people may still be in danger at sea.
The boat had 110 people on board, Reuters said, quoting Northern France authorities.
Around a hundred migrants have already been rescued by a French navy tug, and are being taken to Boulogne, French newspaper La Voix Du Nord said.
Emergency services picked up the father of a four-year-old girl, who was “in tears on the beach”, the paper said.
It comes hours after the UK’s government’s controversial Rwanda bill – intended to deter migrants from crossing the Channel in small boats – was passed.
Home Secretary James Cleverly, whose department is responsible for the effort, said on X on Tuesday: “These tragedies have to stop. I will not accept a status quo which costs so many lives.”
He said ministers are “doing everything we can to end this trade”.
On Tuesday morning, Sky News filmed a suspected migrant boat attempting to cross the Channel. We do not know if it is the boat which has failed to make the crossing. The latest updates on the migrant crisis is here.
Migrants in the channel
Sky’s Europe correspondent, Adam Parsons, in Dunkirk, said at least four vessels were working off the coast of Wimereux as well as helicopters and there were “reports of survivors”.
Sea conditions could not be blamed, he said, as they were “perfect”.
He said: “If you were trying to cross the Channel in a small boat, this is the day you would do it, so if you can’t make it on a day like this, it shows how dangerous it is.”
The Channel is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and currents are strong, making the crossing on small boats extremely hazardous.
People smugglers typically overload rickety dinghies, leaving them barely afloat and at risk of being lashed by the waves as they try to reach Britain.
The Rwanda bill, which Rishi Sunak says will curb the illegal trade, will finally become law after the House of Lords decided they would no longer oppose it following hours of wrangling. The measure was finally approved just after midnight.
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Latest reaction after government’s Rwanda bill passes Lords
How many asylum seekers does the UK remove and how much of an impact will the policy have?
For weeks, peers have been pushing back on the scheme – which seeks to deport asylum seekers arriving in the UK via small boats to the African nation – and trying to get ministers to make changes to the controversial legislation.
But after further rounds of so-called “ping pong” saw the bill flit between both Houses throughout Monday evening, both MPs and peers have now agreed to the plan, and it will soon become law – with Rishi Sunak pledging the first flights will take off “in 10 to 12 weeks”.
Human rights groups have described the legislation as inhumane and cruel.
UK drivers are “confused” by the country’s electric car transition, ministers are being warned.
Although most drivers are not hostile towards electric vehicles (EVs), many are confused about what changes are coming and when, according to new research from the AA.
In a survey of more than 14,000 AA members, 7% thought the government was banning the sale of used petrol and diesel cars.
Around a third thought manual EVs exist, despite them all being automatic.
More than one in five said they would never buy an EV.
The government’s plan for increasing the number of electric vehicles being driven in the UK focuses heavily on increasing the supply of the vehicles.
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What you can do to reach net zero
In 2024, at least 22% of new cars and 10% of new vans sold by each manufacturer in the UK had to be zero-emission, which generally means pure electric.
Each year, those percentages will rise, reaching 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans in 2030.
Manufacturers will face fines of £15,000 per vehicle if electric vehicle sales fall short of 28% of total production this year.
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By 2035, all new cars and vans will be required to be fully zero emission, according to the Department for Transport.
Second-hand diesel and petrol cars will still be allowed to be sold after this date, and their fuel will still be available.
There are more EVs – but will people buy them?
In February, 25% of new cars were powered purely by battery and in January, they made up 21% of all new cars registered in the UK.
But despite the growth of electric sales, manufacturers continue to warn that the market will not support the growth required to hit government EV targets, and called for consumer incentives and the extension of tax breaks.
The AA suggested the government’s plan focuses on “supply but does little to encourage demand for EVs”.
It called on ministers to co-ordinate a public awareness campaign alongside the motoring industry which directly targets drivers who doubt the viability of EVs.
“Our message to government is more needs to be done to make EVs accessible for everyone,” said Jakob Pfaudler, AA chief executive.
Which? head of consumer rights Sue Davis said: “When it comes to making sustainable choices such as switching to an electric car, our research shows that people are often held back by high costs, complex choices or uncertainty.
“The government needs to provide the right information on electric vehicles and other sustainable choices so that people have the confidence to switch.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We’re investing over £2.3bn to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs.
“This includes installing a public charge point every 28 minutes, keeping EV incentives in the company car tax regime to 2030, and extending 100% first-year allowances for zero-emission cars for another year.
“Second-hand EVs are also becoming cheaper than ever, with one in three available under £20,000 and 21 brand new models available for less than £30,000.
“We’re seeing growing consumer confidence as a result.”
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