A man has been charged following the death of a woman believed to have been trying to cross the Channel in a small boat.

Sudanese national Howmalow Mawumd-Duop was arrested and detained in Dover yesterday by the National Crime Agency (NCA) following the fatality.

The 21-year-old is expected to appear before Folkestone Magistrates Court today, charged with facilitating illegal immigration.

Her body was found on a beach at Sangatte near Calais on Tuesday, September 26 prompting a National Crime Agency investigation.

Mawumd-Duop is being held in custody on suspicion of having piloted a boat into UK waters.

The death is being investigated by the French authorities, supported by the NCA and Kent Police.

NCA Deputy Director Craig Turner said: “This incident demonstrates the danger posed to those making these crossings.

“Targeting the criminal networks involved is a priority for the NCA, and we are working with French partners to identify those responsible for this tragic death.”

On the day the body was found, 212 people are known to have tried to cross the Channel in three small boats, according to UK government figures.