Three people have died attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat on Sunday morning.
According to the French coastguard, people ended up in the water after trying to board a boat off the coast of Sangatte, near Calais, at about 06:00 local time (05:00 GMT).
The three later declared dead were recovered from the water by helicopter, while a further 45 were given treatment on the beach, many suffering from hypothermia. Four were taken to hospital, BBC reported.
It has been the deadliest year on record for English Channel crossings.
The French coastguard said a search was ongoing at sea for any other survivors.
The Home Office confirmed there had been an incident in French waters, with French authorities leading the response and investigation.
Pierre-Henri Dumont, MP for the Pas-de-Calais region, told the BBC: "Any attempt to cross the English Channel in this way is very, very dangerous - but at this time of year, it is even more deadly."
He said rescue teams can respond quickly, but current temperatures mean "spending even a few minutes in the water" can be fatal.
More than 36,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, surpassing the 2023 total of 29,437, government figures suggest.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN agency which tracks the number of people who die crossing the Channel, said 77 people have died attempting to make the journey this year.
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