Person dies on overcrowded migrant boat off the coast of Calais

A person has died at sea on board a ‘very crowded’ migrant boat off the coast of Calais after police rushed to distressed calls.

The tragedy marks the seventh death in the channel since mid July, the French maritime authority Premar have said this morning. 

Around 75 people were aboard the vessel, with 35, including the dead passenger, being rescued. The other passengers continued their journey. 

The victim was found aboard the boat after passengers cried out for help at around 5.30am, with emergency workers claiming there had been a rise in a ‘new phenomenon of people dying at sea not by drowning (but) by illness or in a crush’.

The dinghy was in the sea off the northern French port of Calais when it was reported overnight to the regional surveillance and rescue centre (CROSS).

File photo of migrants crossing the Channel 

The centre despatched a police vessel and a border guard patrol boat to the area at around 5:30 am after ‘some of the people aboard called for help’.

While they were being transferred to the police and border guard vessels, officials noticed an ‘unconscious person’ aboard the migrant boat. He was taken to hospital by helicopter but subsequently died, Premar said.

Six would-be asylum seekers died in three separate boat disasters in the Channel between July 12 and 19.

This is a breaking story. More follows.