The home secretary has said the deaths of migrants in the English Channel show how illegal crossings are a “lethally dangerous endeavour”.

A major search and rescue operation involving helicopters and lifeboats was launched at 3.05am on Wednesday after authorities were alerted to a small boat in distress in the Channel.

The search is ongoing, with 43 people rescued alive – some from the water, others from the vessel involved.

Four people have died, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.

Channel incident – latest updates: Migrants dead as helicopters and lifeboats scrambled to rescue vessel

Home Secretary Suella Braverman told the Commons: “These are the days that we dread. Crossing the channel in unseaworthy vessels is a lethal, dangerous endeavour.

“It is for this reason, above all, that we are working so hard to destroy the business model of the people smugglers, evil organised criminals to treat human beings as cargo.”

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She added that Wednesday’s tragedy “is the most sobering reminder” of why the crossings need to end as she highlighted the government’s recent agreement with France to have more patrols on French beaches to stop the crossings.

But she said it shows “we had to go much further” as she referred to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement on Tuesday that a new permanent, unified small boats operational command will be formed to bring together military and civilian capabilities and the National Crime Agency.

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And she said the incident shows why new legislation, to be introduced next year, is needed which will make it “clear that if someone comes to the UK illegally, they should not be able to remain here” and will be “detained and swiftly returned to either their home country or to a safe country where their claim for asylum will be considered”.

“Late or spurious claims and appeals will not be possible, and once someone has been removed they will have no right to re-entry, settlement or citizenship,” she added.

The boat was carrying between 30 to 50 people when it ran into difficulties, according to a French source.

Exclusive footage obtained by Sky News shows a black inflatable dinghy being retrieved from the water by rescue teams.

Searches will continue all day, but at this stage, many more are feared dead given the freezing conditions of the water as the UK suffers from particularly cold weather, a separate source has told Sky News.

“There were people in the water,” said Sky’s Lisa Holland, adding sources have told her they believe the temperature would have been around -4C.

While temperatures had dropped last night, Holland said the weather conditions were calm – making it a “window of opportunity” for the migrants to make the crossing.

Earlier, Mr Sunak started Prime Minister’s Questions by saying: “I’m sure the whole House will share my sorrow at the capsizing of a small boat in the Channel in the early hours of this morning and the tragic loss of human life.

“Our hearts go out to all those affected and our tributes to those involved in the extensive rescue operation.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer added: “Our prayers go out to those who capsized in freezing waters of the Channel last night.

“It’s a reminder that the criminal gangs running those routes put the lives of the desperate at risk and profit from their misery. They must be broken up and brought to justice.”

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