Child 'trampled to death' while trying to cross Channel as migrants killed in 'tragedy'

French interior minister Bruno Retailleau said “several people had died” and that a child had been “trampled to death in a boat" in what's believed to have been two separate incidents

A child tragically trampled to death in a boat is said to be among a number of people who have lost their lives trying to cross the Channel.

The French interior minister Bruno Retailleau said “several people had died” and that a child had been “trampled to death in a boat”. At least four migrants died, including a young child, in two separate incidents, a French local newspaper reported. It marks the latest small boat tragedy as figures revealed that almost 400 migrants arrived in the UK on Friday having crossed the English Channel without permission.

Retailleau posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday: "Today several people died trying to cross the Channel. A child was trampled to death in a boat. A terrible tragedy that must make us all aware of the tragedy that is unfolding. The people smugglers have the blood of these people on their hands and our government will intensify the fight against these mafias who are getting rich by organising these crossings of death." Small boats data published by the Home Office shows 395 migrants arrived on October 4 after 59 on 29 September.

Some of those arriving on Friday were pictured in life jackets as they were brought to shore at Dover by a Border Force vessel. It came on the same day as the UK and other GY countries agreed an anti-smuggling action plan. This includes, the Home Office said, joint investigations and intelligence sharing in a bid to target criminal smuggling routes.

The plan also details "working collaboratively" with social media firms to monitor the internet and different platforms to prevent them being used to enable migrant smuggling and people trafficking. This includes calling on social media firms "to do more to respond to online content that advertises migrant smuggling services".

A Home Office spokesperson said last month: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. As we have seen with so many recent devastating tragedies in the Channel, the people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice. We are making progress, bolstering our personnel numbers in the UK and abroad. Our new Border Security Command will strengthen our global partnerships and enhance our efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute these evil criminals.”