At least three people have died and dozens have been rescued attempting to cross the English Channel.
The alarm was raised on a beach near Sangatte in northern France at around six o'clock this morning.
It brings the total number of people who died while trying to cross the Channel this year to 53.
Reporter Emma Birchley said several people contracted hypothermia after falling into the water.
"People [were] trying to get onboard an overcrowded boat, several then fell into the water," she said.
"Now, many of those people were suffering from hypothermia - four were so seriously unwell that they were then taken to hospital."
Rescue operation
The boat is understood to have got into trouble near the public beach Bleriot-Plage.
A French Navy helicopter was part of a large-scale rescue operation deployed after the first alert was raised on Sunday morning.
The bodies of two adults were reportedly recovered by emergency services about 45 minutes later.
The vessel is understood to have continued its journey towards the English shore.
Favourable conditions
Favourable winds since last weekend have encouraged migrants to attempt the crossing, with around 1,500 arriving in England between Wednesday and Saturday, according to British authorities.
French authorities said "several" small boats departed from the French coast early Sunday.
A total of 322 migrants arrived in the UK on Saturday, according to UK government data.
Main image: Migrants crossing to England on Saturday January 28, 2023 Calais beach. Image: Photononstop / Alamy
