Six children among 12 dead after boat 'ripped open' in the Channel

Calls for legal routes to halt shockingly high’ death rates on crossings

- Rajeev Syal , Diane Taylor , Angelique Chrisafis

Six children and a pregnant woman were among at least 12 people who died after a boat carrying dozens of asylum seekers to the UK was "ripped open" in one of the worst Channel tragedies since the small boats crisis began.

In a major test for Keir Starmer's government, which is facing demands from charities to open up safe routes to the UK, the French authorities said 10 of those who had lost their lives were female, and many were believed to be from Eritrea.

The French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said more than 50 people had been rescued, including two in a critical condition from the "terrible shipwreck" off Cap Gris-Nez yesterday morning. Only eight of the 70 passengers were wearing life jackets, according to French officials.

The incident, in which everyone onboard was plunged into the sea, is believed to have caused the second-highest number of deaths to befall asylum seekers trying to reach the UK since the small boats crisis began.

Following the latest deaths, the prime minister is facing calls to open legal routes so that people are not forced to take such desperate journeys before claiming asylum in the UK. In a further development, Darmanin called for a new migration treaty to be negotiated between the UK and EU to ease the path for asylum seekers.

Yvette Cooper branded the incident "horrifying and deeply tragic" as she said "vital" efforts to dismantle "dangerous and criminal smuggler gangs" and to boost border security "must proceed apace".