Boy, two, among four deaths in two small boat 'tragedies' off France

A two-year-old boy, a woman and two men have died in "two tragedies" off the coast of France.

In the first incident on Saturday, the French coastguard responded to a boat carrying nearly 90 people that was experiencing engine failure.

A total of 15 people were rescued from the boar, including the young boy who was unconscious. Despite the efforts of a medical team dispatched by helicopter, the boy sadly died.

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The French interior minister Bruno Retailleau posted on X that the boy had been “trampled to death”. Mr Billant added that the other 14 migrants, including a 17-year-old with leg burns, were taken to the port of Boulogne for care before being questioned by police.

The remaining occupants were allowed to continue their journey to the UK. In a second incident, a boat carrying 83 people from the Calais area experienced multiple engine failures, causing panic and leading to some passengers falling into the sea - all were rescued.

When 71 migrants were transferred from the inflatable boat to the Flamant, a French navy patrol boat, three individuals were found unconscious at the bottom of the boat. They were "probably crushed and suffocated during the jostling and drowned in the 40 centimetres of water present in the boat", said Mr Billant.

He stated: "Despite the intervention of the doctors, they were declared dead. They are two men and a woman, all three around 30 years old."

Mr Billant said the remaining 12 occupants attempted to continue their journey across the Channel, but were eventually rescued again and taken back to France.

Mr Billant said: “Two new tragedies occurred at sea this morning.

“The toll is very heavy, since we deeply regret the death of four people: two men, a woman and a child.”