BBC witnesses tragedy as 7-year-old and four adults die trying to cross English Channel | BBC News

BBC News

A seven-year-old girl and four adults have died while attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat. They’re the latest migrants to have lost their lives while attempting to reach the UK by sea from France. The BBC was filming on a beach south of the port of Calais at night when a group of 110 people boarded the heavily overloaded boat, as French police tried to stop them. The boat quickly ran into trouble. The seven-year-old girl, a woman and three men died despite efforts to rescue them. The incident took place one day after British members of parliament approved plans to send migrants seeking asylum to Rwanda to have their claims processed there, in a deal with the east African nation. The UK government says this will deter migrants from crossing the Channel in small boats. UK opposition parties have opposed the plan saying it will be ineffective and inhumane. Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Andrew Harding in France. Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news #BBCNews