Three migrants die crossing the Channel after busiest day this year

Three migrants die crossing the Channel after busiest day this year The group were found dead on a boat off the coast of Dunkirk on Thursday morning, the French coastguard said Three migrants have died trying to reach the UK after one of the busiest days for Channel crossings this year. The group were found dead on a boat off the coast of Dunkirk on Thursday morning, the French coastguard said. It comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham insisted the Government's plan to curb Channel crossings was "working," but admitted there was "more to do.” The boat was spotted at around 6am and the three people on board were found unresponsive. They were taken to shore by rescue crews where they were confirmed dead. Wednesday was one of the busiest days for crossings so far this year, with a steady stream of attempts throughout the day due to the sunny weather and calm seas. In a separate incident, a small boat capsized off Hardelot, on France's north west coast, late on Wednesday. The administrative department for the Pas-de-Calais said: "The provisional toll is one man, estimated to be between 30 and 40 years old, deceased, and six people with minor injuries, including a one-year-old child, who were treated by emergency services.” A judicial investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the incident. Up to 700 migrants are believed to have crossed the Channel in small boats on Wednesday. French police were filmed on Hardelot beach, south of Boulogne, watching on as dozens of people boarded a dinghy destined for the UK. French officers are not allowed to intervene when migrants are in the water and boarding the boats due to the risk of drowning. The size of the rubber dinghies has increased significantly as smugglers adapt to increased police activity on French beaches. Larger boats now “taxi” around the coast of France and wait to pick up people slightly offshore, rather than launching from the sand. A record 128 migrants arrived in one dinghy this month, up from the previous record of 125 in September last year. In April, the UK agreed to pay France extra cash to police its shores. A £662m deal was agreed for the next three years, with around £160m of it to be spent on new tactics like policing to stop so-called taxi boats. The £160m is conditional on the success of the French operation. The UK will pay around £501m for more officers on the beaches of northern France and extra surveillance technology, despite a previous boost in funding failing to bring the number of Channel crossings down. Charities fear the enforcement would push people to flee to the UK and could lead to more deaths. A government spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened to hear about these deaths. “Every death in the Channel is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people for profit. We will continue working relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys. The French authorities are leading the response and investigation into this incident.”