Man arrested in fatal Channel crossing incident

A 29-year-old Egyptian man has been arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers in connection with a fatal Channel crossing that resulted in the death of a woman.

The incident, which occurred on Sunday, saw a small boat in distress in the Channel during the early hours of the morning.

French authorities responded to the scene, where they discovered a woman in critical condition. She was recovered from the water and airlifted to a hospital but sadly passed away. The boat, still carrying around 40 people, continued on its route and eventually arrived in Dover.

The NCA, working in coordination with French authorities, launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatality.

On Monday evening, the Egyptian national was arrested in Manston, Kent, on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration. He has since been released on bail while further inquiries continue.

NCA Branch Commander Mark Howes, addressing the tragic event, said: “This tragedy demonstrates how dangerous these crossings are, and our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the individual who died.”

He also stressed the importance of dismantling the criminal networks behind these crossings: “Working with partners, we remain determined to target, disrupt, and dismantle the criminal networks involved in organised immigration crime, and prevent them from exploiting the desperation of others.”