Portugal Colonial - Three dead, three missing in attempts to cross Channel

The latest tragedies, which took place in northern France overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, bring the number of deaths this year linked to crossings in overcrowded dinghies to at least 23, according to an AFP tally based on official French data.

Laurent Touvet, the top state official for the northern region of Pas-de-Calais, said the three victims were a female and two males.

"They are young people," the prefect told reporters, adding there might have been two minors among the victims.

The tragedy occurred off the coast of Sangatte, he said.

At around 5:00 am (0300 GMT) Wednesday, a tugboat rescued a group of migrants, bringing them to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Three people, presumably crushed to death "at the bottom of the boat", had been found with the rescued migrants, the prefect said.

Three other people were hospitalised.

Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor Cecile Gressier said they had launched an investigation.

In a separate incident Tuesday night, three migrants disappeared at sea during an attempt to cross the Channel near the town of Neufchatel-Hardelot, further south.

"One person was resuscitated by the police while drowning," the prefect said.

"A little later we heard cries from people further out at sea, so there are likely to be three missing persons," he said.

"All the staff involved experienced a night unlike any they had seen in several months," Touvet added.

The issue of cross-Channel migration has become a major source of tension between France and Britain.

More than 30,000 migrants have made the dangerous journey so far this year across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

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A.Aguiar--PC