A person has died after being pulled from the Channel during an attempted small boat crossing.

Favourable weather conditions have led to a number of attempted crossings in recent days, with a number of people picked up and brought ashore at Dover.

The vessel carrying the person who has died today got into difficulties off the coast of Calais at around 5.30am and required assistance from French authorities.

In all 35 people were picked up by patrol boats, but one individual who was unconscious when rescued was later declared dead at a hospital in Boulogne.

French authorities say the craft, which is understood to have been attempting the perilous crossing to Britain, was “heavily loaded”.

Despite the attendance of rescuers, a number of people on board declined to be taken back to France and were left to continue their voyage.

The Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said: “Given the risks of falling overboard or injury to people in the event of forced intervention, the decision was made to let the other people on the boat continue on their way.”

A French customs coastguard vessel took 34 people picked up from the boat to the port of Calais.

Yesterday children were among a group of about 50 people who were led ashore from a boat that docked in Dover.