THE French interior minister Gérald Darmanin is giving a press conference live from Calais at the moment.
Speaking to reporters, he confirmed 31 people have drowned today in the Channel between Calais and Dunkirk. Two people have been saved.
He said this number included five women and one little girl. One person is still unaccounted for and he is unable to say what nationalities are involved.
He said: “It is an appalling situation for France, for Europe and for humanity to see these people perish at sea because of people smugglers.”
Like his British political counterparts, that seems to be entirely where the finger of blame for this tragedy is being pointed – the smugglers who organise these highly dangerous journeys.
He said that since the start of 2021, around 1,500 arrests have been made including four today in relation to this incident.
Three ships are involved in tonight’s rescue operation, as well as three helicopters, one of which is British, he added.
He paid tribute to the rescue services who, he said, have saved 7,800 lives since the beginning of the year.
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