Three people are feared to have died after a small migrant boat encountered difficulties in the early hours in the English Channel.
The major search and rescue operation was launched in UK waters in freezing conditions after reports of an incident earlier this morning.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: "I am aware of a distressing incident in the Channel this morning, and I am being kept constantly updated while agencies respond and urgently establish the full facts,"
The boat is likely to have been carrying migrants risking the crossing from France. This tragic news comes just a day after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced new measures to "stop the boats".
In the House of Commons, Mr Sunak said the UK government expected to "abolish the backlog of initial asylum decisions by the end of next year".
Nearly 45,000 people have risked this deadly crossing to the UK this year.
Last year in November 2021, at least 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while heading to the UK from France.
There are a lot of misconceptions about why men, women and children risk their lives and attempt deadly crossings like the English Channel in the hopes of finding safety.
Whatever the reason behind someone attempting to seek asylum, no one deserves to die.
It is vital that they are treated with dignity and humanity and provided with the support they need to recover from the traumatic and dangerous journey they have undertaken.
In 2021-2022, we proudly worked with SOS Mediterranee and the SATA Foundation to collect testimonies from persons rescued in the Mediterranean Sea.
In Search of Safe Haven: The Sea as the Only Option is a collection of personal testimonies.
The content of these narratives will be distressing to many. It is important though that they are read, and that the people who shared their stories have their voices heard. We cannot be deaf and blind to the realities of peoples lives.
We shared these testimonies with EU officials, member states, and Frontex (the European Union's Border and Coastguard Agency) to make sure that the voices of those who risk their lives to get to safety are not lost, just as the lives of so many migrants and refugees fleeing to find safety are lost at sea.
Human Rights at Sea will continue to monitor the situation, and we will continue to advocate for safe, secure seas and access to safe ports for disembarkation.
Human rights should be enjoyed by everyone, no matter what situation they are in or whether they are at sea or on land.
Contact: Charlotte Rumbol, Communications Manager and Project Officer: charlotte.rumbol@humanrightsatsea.org
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