FIVE people have tragically died after a migrant boat overturned in the English Channel.

       An urgent rescue mission was launched when it's understood around 70 people - including ten children - boarded the small vessel headed towards England.

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       An urgent rescue mission was launched when around 70 people boarded the small vessel Credit: PA

       As it made its way through French waters near Wimereux, to the south of Calais, it capsized in the early hours on Sunday morning.

       Dozens are said to have been pulled from the water with one other person suffering a cardiac arrest.

       Four bodies were discovered in or near the water, say local authorities.

       And tragically, French maritime authorities later confirmed a fifth migrant had died in the horror, found at the edge of Wimereux beach.

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       According to AFP, those on the boat got into difficulty soon after it departed the French coast around 2am local time.

       The maritime prefecture for the Channel region in northern France said: "At this stage, we regret four migrants have died and one has been transferred to hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer."

       They added said large groups attempted to board and "found themselves in difficulty at sea to reach the boat".

       Survivors are understood to have been taken to a local community centre where they are being looked after.

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       Cops and firefighters rushed to the scene, reports local press.

       The UK Coastguard was not deployed as incident unfolded in French waters.

       Rescue efforts are thought to have continued until around 5am.

       It comes after the first arrivals in 2024 were recorded on Saturday.

       Migrants had stopped attempting to cross the Channel, according to Home Office figures, since December 16.

       But yesterday, after the longest gap in five years, a group were seen disembarking a Border Force vessel in Dover, Kent, after being brought to the shore.

       Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron this morning told the BBC the incident in the Channel shows "we have got to stop the boats".

       He said: "Well, it's heartbreaking when these things happen, and the loss of life that takes place and you can only think about what an appalling end it would be in the cold waters of the Channel in the middle of the night.

       "It breaks my heart thinking about it.

       "But it just shows we've got to stop the boats. We've got to stop this illegal trade in human beings.

       "Now, we have done a huge amount, we've given a vast amount of money to help the French with policing and intelligence operations.

       "We've done a vast amount in the Channel itself, but ultimately, the only way you can stop the boats is by busting the model of the people smugglers, by making sure that if someone goes from point A in France to point B in Britain, they do not stay in Britain, that that route doesn't work.

       "Now, in an ideal world, you just send them straight back to France, and that would be it and the whole trade would collapse.

       "That is not available. That is why we're pursuing the policy with Rwanda.

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       "That's why the bill will be passed next week. That's why the treaty has been signed.

       "And yes, it may be unorthodox or unusual but unless we can get flights off and get that system working, so people know there's no point getting on that boat in France, because if you get on that boat in France, you're not going to be able to stay in the United Kingdom, once we've done that we'll be able to collapse this trade even more."

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       David Cameron spoke out over the tragedy Credit: Alamy