Up to eight asylum seekers are feared dead after a dinghy disaster in the Channel.
Workers on a fishing trawler pulled 31 people aboard after seeing the deflated vessel, said to be packed with 47 migrants.
Four people are known to have died and a further four were tonight still missing in freezing temperatures.
Four children, including an 11-year-old Afghan boy, were on board but those who died are believed to be adults.
British and French authorities launched an air and sea rescue operation when they were alerted at around 3am by Ray Strachan’s crew, who heard cries for help.
They helped survivors clamber on to the trawler and then went to the stricken boat to help others.
The dinghy had collapsed with the weight of the migrants, lifting the sides in the air.
Mr Strachan’s crew spent two hours pulling people from the water. He said those he rescued came from countries including Afghanistan, Iraq and India.
RNLI lifeboats also arrived at the scene, with a stretcher later offloaded from one.
Ben Squire, who owns the Plymouth-registered Arcturus trawler, shared a video of his crew pulling people from the water and the boat with ropes.
He said: “The cold was too much for some of them. They died in front of the crew.
“Those brought aboard were in various conditions. Some were critical, others less seriously injured. The crew saved so many lives, they are heroes.”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “This tragedy is the most sobering reminder possible of why we have to end these crossings.”
Steve Valdez-Symonds, of Amnesty International UK, said: “These deaths could be avoided if the UK, France and others created safe routes.”
A French charity said it had been left a 22-second voice message from a boat to “help us, help us”.
Nikolai Posner, of the Utopia 56 charity, said: “We can hear babies screaming.”
A Government spokesman said: “This is a truly tragic incident. Our thoughts are with the friends and families of all those who have lost their lives.”
As news broke of the tragedy, dozens more asylum seekers arrived at the port of Dover.
