English Channel: Suella Braverman and French minister pledge to tackle people-smugglers

The Home Secretary and her French counterpart have pledged to “destroy” the business model of people-smuggling gangs after at least four people died when a migrant boat got into difficulty in the Channel on Wednesday.

The search is due to resume this morning for up to four more people believed to be lost at sea. But this is no longer a rescue operation.

The British and French authorities are looking for bodies. Coastguards on both sides of the Channel were involved in the response with 39 people rescued.

In a joint statement, Suella Braverman and Gérald Darmanin said the tragedy underlined the importance of working together more closely to prevent the crossings.

A charity which offers support to migrants in Calais, Utopia 56, said on Wednesday it had received a voice message from a man believed to be on the sinking boat.

As babies could be heard screaming in the background, he pleaded: “We have a problem. Please help. We have children and families in a boat. We are in the water.”

The charity said it had tried to respond but had been unable to make contact.