One person has died after a small boat got into difficulty in the English Channel.

The incident took place near Boulogne-sur-Mer, French authorities confirmed.

The Maritime Prefect of the Channel and the North Sea said 62 people were pulled from the water after the boat broke up.

French assistance and rescue intervention tug (RIAS) Abeille Normandie recovered 50 people on board, while the RNLI recovered two people and the Border Force Ranger nine people.

Migrants aboard a small boat (FIle pic)

All those rescued were transferred to the Abeille. One of those rescued by the RNLI lifeboat was declared dead by the medical team on board the French tug.

Among the survivors was a child and his mother suffering hypothermia, who were airlifted to hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer.

The others were dropped off at the Boulogne-sur-Mer quay and taken care of by the land rescue services.