Six-month-old baby rescued after Channel dinghy carrying 84 migrants capsizes

Early reports suggested that all the people on board the boat had been rescued by the Abalone,a French navy vessel,and the UK's Taku,a Border Force vessel

Credit: Michael Keohan/BBC

A major rescue operation was launched in the Channel after a six-month-old baby was among more than 80 migrants thrown into the sea when their dinghy capsized on Thursday morning.

Dover and Walmer lifeboats were launched to assist Border Force after the migrants were spotted in the water in mid-Channel.

Three children,including the six-month-old,were said to be on the small boat,whose engine had failed. Witnesses said it had turned back before capsizing,throwing all 84 migrants on board into the sea.

Early reports suggested that all the people on the boat had been rescued by the Abalone,and the UK’s Taku,a Border Force vessel. A Coastguard helicopter was also scrambled.

One boat stopped by French police

At least one was stopped from crossing by French police on the beach,while another managed to set out to sea despite officers using tear gas to try to block its departure.

It comes after 234 migrants crossed the Channel on Tuesday,taking the total so far this year to 10,745 – up 41.2 per cent on the same period last year,when 7,610 reached the UK.

This was up 7.6 per cent on the previous record year in 2022,when 9,984 migrants crossed,and took the total since the Prime Minister pledged to stop the boats on Jan 4 2023 to 40,138.

It means more than 80,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since the Government struck the Rwanda deal over two years ago.