Three people have died after a small boat incident in the English Channel and 43 people have been rescued, a Government source said.
The Royal Navy, French navy, HM Coastguard and RNLI lifeboats are all involved in the major operation, off the coast of Kent this morning on Wednesday, December 14. RNLI lifeboats were launched from Dover at 3.07am, followed by vessels from Ramsgate and Hastings.
The boat is likely to have been carrying migrants risking the perilous crossing from France, a day after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unveiled a package of new measures to "stop the boats". More than 44,000 people have made the dangerous crossing this year, Government figures show.