America News Agency

The incident is just one in a series of tragic small-boat accidents that have recently occurred in the channel. French authorities say over 50 people were rescued from the water after the boat broke apart.

Twelve people were found dead in the accident, including six children and a pregnant woman. According to a French prosecutor, most of the passengers were of Eritrean origin. Only eight of the passengers were reportedly wearing life jackets.

“Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat broke open,” said Olivier Barbarin, mayor of the municipality of Le Portel, south of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where the rescue operation began at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday.

More than 2,000 asylum seekers have arrived in the UK in small boats in the past week. More than 600 arrived in 10 boats on August 28 and 351 in six boats on September 2.

In the wake of the deaths, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced calls to open up legal pathways so that potential refugees do not have to make dangerous journeys before applying for asylum in the UK.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin believes a new migration agreement should be negotiated between the UK and the EU to ease the path for asylum seekers.