Two charged with immigration offences after deaths of five people in Channel

Two people have been charged with immigration offences in connection with the investigation into the deaths of five people, including a child, who were trying to cross the Channel.

One, from South Sudan, has been charged with assisting unlawful immigration and attempting to arrive in the UK without valid entry clearance.

The second, a Sudanese national, has been charged with attempting to arrive in the UK without valid entry clearance.

Both appeared at Folkestone magistrates court on Friday.

The National Crime Agency is working with Kent police, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force to support the French-led investigation into the incident on the beach near Wimereux, northern France, on Tuesday.

An 18-year-old man from Sudan has also been arrested over the incident and has been bailed pending further inquiries.

The dinghy carrying more than 100 people set off from Wimereux at about 6am on Tuesday. Three men, a woman and a girl died, according to the French coastguard.

Forty-nine people were rescued but 58 others refused to leave the boat and continued their journey towards the UK, the coastguard said, with several other boats later embarking on the crossing.