Channel deaths: Braverman urged to quit after migrants die in crossing tragedy
Home secretary ‘has vilified the very people she now feigns sympathy with’, says PCS
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A union has called for home secretary Suella Braverman to resign following the deaths of four migrants in the Channel as their boat sank.
Women and children are reportedly among survivors fighting for their lives in hospital after the dinghy capsized in the English Channel in freezing weather in the early hours. A search-and-rescue mission was launched and 43 other people on board were rescued.
Paul O’Connor, of the PCS union, said: “Suella Braverman says her heartfelt thoughts are with all those involved. Those words ring utterly hollow when she has spent her time as home secretary vilifying and demonising the very people she now feigns sympathy with. She should resign in disgrace.”
Ms Braverman told the Commons there would be new legislation to end criminal gangs, but shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said responses by ministers to people-smuggling and trafficking gangs had been too weak, calling for further action.
Roger Gale, MP for North Thanet in Kent, said: “Some of the survivors are still fighting for their lives [in hospital], and I understand that some of them are women and children.”
Read below for how our live coverage unfolded:
Hello and welcome to our live coverage as the coastguard responds to an incident involving a small boat in the English Channel.
BREAKING: Major incident underway after small boat gets into difficulties in Channel
Major incident underway after small boat gets into difficulties in Channel
A major rescue operation is under way after a small boat ran into difficulties in the Channel near Kent.
Incident reported in early hours of morning, ambulance service says
A South East Coast Ambulance Service spokesperson: “South East Coast Ambulance Service was called by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency following reports of an incident in the channel at about 3.40am on Wednesday, 14 December.
“We have sent resources to Dover in support of the rescue efforts being undertaken by the Coastguard. As this is an ongoing incident, we have no further updates at this time.”
Government ‘aware of incident in UK waters’
The UK government said “all relevant agencies” were involved in dealing with the incident in the English Channel.
A spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident in UK waters and all relevant agencies are supporting a co-ordinated response. Further details will be provided in due course.”
People feared dead in incident, report says
The BBC said it understands there have been deaths from the incident in the early hours of the morning.
Authorities have not confirmed any fatalities as of yet.
Hospital ‘told to clear A&E’ - report
GB news is reporting a hospital in Kent has been told to clear its A&E:
Braverman aware of ‘distressing incident'
The home secretary says she is aware of a ‘distressing incident’ in the English Channel:
Dover MP ‘very saddened’ to hear reports of lives lost
The MP for Dover has just tweeted this:
Refugee charity ‘very concerned'
The Refugee Council says it is “very concerned” over the news:
Where did the incident take place?
Here is where the incident is believed to have happened in the English Channel:
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