Two arrested after death of one-year-old infant Five migrants dead in Channel crossing

FIVE migrants have died and a sixth is in critical condition after trying to reach Britain from northern France despite freezing temperatures, the French maritime authority said.

The group was attempting to reach a vessel off Wimereux when their small boat got into difficulty around 2am yesterday, the maritime prefecture told the AFP news agency.

The dead were recovered from the sea or found washed up along the beach, maritime authorities said in a statement. A French navy helicopter and several rescue vessels were involved in the search.

The incident prompted a major emergency response as 72 people, including 10 children, were rescued and taken to

Calais. One person was rushed to hospital, French paper La Voix du Nord said.

Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, said the “heartbreaking” deaths of five migrants as they tried to cross the English Channel showed “we’ve got to stop the boats”.

Ministers have been informed that the migrants died in an attempt to launch from French waters, the PA news agency understands.

Speaking on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Lord Cameron said: “It’s heartbreaking when these things happen, and the loss of life that takes place.

“And you can only think about what an appalling end it would be, and the cold waters of the Channel in the middle of the night. It breaks my heart to hear about it.

“But it just shows we’ve got to stop the boats, we’ve got to stop this illegal trade in human beings.”

Sir Keir Starmer, who described the incident as a “tragic loss of life”, told Kuenssberg he did not support radical action like the Rwanda plan as argued by Lord Cameron.

He said: “I think he is wrong about that. I absolutely agree that we need to stop these Channel crossings.

“They are dangerous, we have lost control of our borders, and we need to do something to stop the boats.

“Now I think the starting place for that is to go after the criminal gangs that are running this vile trade.”

French media said the migrants got into difficulty while trying to board the boat in darkness and cold temperatures.

A navy helicopter, police and 50 firefighters were involved in the rescue operation.

The Refugee Council called for “decisive action” to stop Channel crossings following the “terrible loss of life”.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “The sad reality is that this is not the first time we are waking up to such devastating news.

“With no meaningful commitment from the Government to expand safe routes for refugees, it’s only a matter of time before tragedy strikes again.

The Home Office has been approached for comment.

The UK Coastguard could not comment because the incident took place in French territorial waters.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a young child in Darlington, Co Durham.

Police were called to Frosterley Drive at around 9am last Friday. The one year-old was found at an address and rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle but died on Saturday afternoon, Durham police said. A woman in her 40s has been arrested on suspicion of causing or allowing serious injury to a child.

The man, who is in his 30s, has also been arrested on suspicion of causing or allowing serious injury to a child.

Both have been released on conditional bail while further inquiries are carried out, the force said.