A 10-year-old child and two women have died after they were ‘likely crushed’ in a mega-dinghy while attempting to cross the Channel.

Dozens more were severely injured in the incident off Wissant, a few miles south of Calais, early this morning.

A spokesman for the Pas-de-Calais region confirmed ‘a provisional total of three deaths and many more injured’.

The trio who died were two women in their 30s and a ten-year-old boy, according to emergency workers at the scene.

One said: ‘An investigation has already started into how they lost their lives.’

There were no immediate details about the names of the deceased, or their country of origin, but all were believed to be asylum seekers.

There were around 105 people on board the mega-dinghy, which was described by the local prefecture as a ‘water taxi’.

This means it arrived relatively empty from an inland waterway, before picking up passengers from the beach at Wissant.

A group who had been rescued from the mega-dinghy were given survival blankets by emergency workers

In a separate incident, migrants clashed with French police as they attempt to cross The Channel from Gravelines this morning

Police officers stand guard at the port of Calais, France, after three migrants, including one child, died while attempting to cross the Channel

‘Sea conditions were calm – the weather is good,’ said the Prefecture spokesman.

By 10.30am local time, six rescue boats were still surrounding the scene of the capsize, looking for survivors.

Responding to reports, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: ‘We’re deeply saddened to hear about the deaths in France today.

‘It is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by the criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people for profit, and we will continue to work relentlessly.

‘It’s the Prime Minister’s promise to do more to prevent these perilous journeys from happening.’

It follows the death of three migrants as they scrambled for places on board a boat last week. 

French prosecutors have opened criminal enquiries into all the tragedies, and judicial police are investigating.

The latest deaths mean that at least 24 people, including women and children, have died in the Channel this year as they tried to get to Britain.

Many have drowned, while others have been crushed to death in overcrowded boats.

The worst tragedy of this kind came in November 2021, when 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while heading to the UK – the highest recorded number of deaths from a single incident.

Multiple attempts at crossings have taken place from the coast of northern France over the last few days, as the smugglers take advantage of calm seas and good weather.

According to figures from the Home Office, 781 migrants arrived in Britain last Wednesday – the highest single-day total recorded so far this year.

In total, 18,565 migrants have reached England via this route since January, a figure down by more than 40 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.

The surge in crossings also indicates that people-trafficking gangs are still getting hold of dinghies and outboard motors with ease, despite a crackdown on supply routes.

Migrants gather as they try to leave the coast of northern France in an attempt to cross the English Channel to reach Britain, from the Petit-Fort-Philippe beach in Gravelines this morning

Some of the migrants reacted by throwing mud and sand as they were moved on by French police

Last week also saw two ‘uncontrolled landings’ in which migrant boats reached the UK without being intercepted by the authorities.

In further chaotic scenes, a dinghy launched from near Bayeux, in Normandy, made a record 38-hour voyage.

They launched just before 10am on Monday and, on Tuesday afternoon, were picked up by RNLI lifeboats and later transferred to a Border Force cutter.

The 51 migrants aboard were eventually brought ashore to Dover in the early hours of Wednesday.